The Indecisive Tune
by loiviation
Summary: THE 9TH CHAPTER HAS ARRIVED! / / A heart in pianissimo could have trouble when it needs to be in fortissimo. Stringendo. / / Len Tsukimori needs to find a way out of an engagement and he knows just the person to use. (The rest of the gang decide to butt in as well ) R&R please! :D
1. 1: The Dilemma

I'm kind of trying to grease the old thinking wheels and I'm starting with this anime.

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own La Corda D'Oro and this story is not to be completely associated/published with the original plot.

Reviews will be highly appreciated :) I'm so nervous -_-"

* * *

"Is it really final?"

Len Tsukimori looked down at the papers given to him by one of their trusted servants. On the last page was his name under a fine line, awaiting his confirmation. It's been a year after his mother's tour has ended, which makes it a couple for the concours. He and the others stayed bonded even after the competition despite their differences.

Even though the senpais have already graduated from Seiso Academy, they've still managed to get together more than often: at the Minami's Instrument Shop where he and Ryutaro were constantly humiliated with videos, at Keiichi's house where they were always welcomed by his aunt, at the park where they would compete against Hihara's brothers in basketball as the ladies walked around, at Fuyuumi-chan's rest houses where they'd hold training camp every school break, at elite Japanese ceremonies with Yunoki-senpai's family, at coffee shops with Hino's friends…

The butler held his hand out with a pen in between his fingers, waiting for Len to take it. "Your parents are waiting downstairs, young master." Len stared at the paper with a cold face. Keeping his cool, he leaned back on his chair and took the time to drink tea as his butler waited for his reply. The butler, known as Tomoyuki or Tomo-san. He's been with Len ever since he was little. He was one of those loyal butlers that elite families always seemed to have and Len was thankful that he was around. He didn't let him do much work but he was a great help when it came to decision-making.

Although not with this.

"Very well. I shall return at the ring of your bell, young master. " With that, Tomo-san turned around and quietly left the room, leaving Len Tsukimori alone to his own thoughts.

This all started when his mother's tour had ended. The great Misa Hamai was doing splendidly when she recently had suffered aneurism. Even though they're well off with just his father standing, they still couldn't think of how to sustain him after they both suffer the same illness and pass away. Leaving their only son with so much money they've earned could only mean so little. To Len Tsukimori, this was almost like an offense.

Even in the absence of his parents, he was overly confident that he could sustain himself with much. His skills were enough to fund a lifetime and it was enough to keep him well. He just couldn't understand how old money from a stranger's family could secure his future. Len Tsukimori sustained by a girl's money? It's the kind of humiliation he wouldn't allow.

He knows very well that his father knows of his effort in performing for the masses. He's gained quite a reputation and he hasn't failed in showcasing his talent to the world's A-List. Moreover, an arranged marriage wasn't the agreed upon solution regarding their dilemma.

Len tucked the paper inside the first drawer his hand pulled. He didn't give a single care on how his parents would constantly look for it. For all he'd know, creating a new contract for him to sign would buy him a lot of time to think about whatever there was to think about. As of now, nothing.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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**How was it?! D'ya like it? ;;) OMG. It's kind of a short and boring chapter but it can't be upbeat all the time, right? (^_^)**

We're still starting so... bear with it? (_O)

**I need to know what you think of it, generous fanfic people... I beg for reviews, good or bad...**

**I BEG T.T *sniff***


	2. 2: Accidental Advices

My head's been preoccupied with so many things happening at once that this chapter turned out to be more random and it just... collapsed. If you get lost somewhere in the middle... I'm sorry, I'll try to make it up to you on the third T.T

This chapter's done and done :D

**R&R please! I beg :3**

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Len Tsukimori was peacefully walking on his way to school. His eyes were focused ahead, ignoring the gossip accumulating around him. It's true that when one of the boys that participated in the concours would walk around, they're sure to be noticed. Not only do they have that natural charm that attracts women closer to them but their different aura helps trigger the gossip.

Len would seriously appreciate it if he wasn't always part of the hot gossip that goes around the academy but it can't be helped. He can't say he hasn't tried stopping it but the more that he paid attention, the larger it grew. People would have something new to talk about every time he steps up and interrupts.

He tried being mean. He tried being blunt. He tried being rude. He wouldn't dare try being nice because, as he sees it, Azuma Yunoki has already gotten it down for him that being nice won't get you far from people. Heck, the guy's already graduated and yet every time he comes to visit Seiso, he just attracts the same amount of attention he got while he was studying here.

"Tch…" Len stopped in his tracks to massage his temples a bit. The image of Yunoki-senpai's radiant smile is causing him a headache he won't soon get over with.

"Oi! Tsukimori!" Len turned around to see where that familiar voice came from. It was Ryutaro. He caught up with him as they walked together to school. Come to think of it, Len never really thought about walking to school with one of the many people that annoyed him. It seems as though Tsuchiura was an exemption. If he hadn't entered the concours, he probably wouldn't be worthy enough to walk side by side with him. As if anyone ever did. It only goes to show that you certainly have to prove your worth to walk beside him.

Ryutaro blabbed on about how Fuyuumi-chan has already planned next year's summer camp for the group. _I'd be lucky enough to see you guys off_, Len thought to himself. If his parents found a way around the lost contract, he'd already be standing at the end of the altar by the summer of next year. How fast would a year pass by this time?

Just last year, Keiichi-chan and Fuyuumi-chan have started going out together and Ryutaro had gotten comfortable with Mori Manami, Kahoko's accompanist for the concours. Yunoki-senpai finally realized that he was into Ayano Takashina and Hihara-senpai started seeing Miyabi-chan. It was quite funny how these people got together because of Tsukimori.

**_- Keiichi and Fuyuumi Flashback…_**

Len was calmly practicing his piece for an upcoming gala he's been invited to when…

"Ano… Tsuki-senpai…"

He turned around and saw Shimizu looking all tired (wasn't he always?) and confused by the door. _Tsuki-senpai?_

"A-ano… Tsuki-senpai…"

He heard that right.

"I need your advice… on something… new."

Len stayed in his position and waited for Shimizu to talk. He really didn't find it appropriate that he interrupt. The boy looked like he was ready to finish off his concern.

But boy, was he taking forever.

"What is it, Shimizu-kun?" _Or would he like to be called Shimi-kun?_ Len thought, still hung over with how he was addressed earlier.

"A-ano… Tsuki-senpai…"

_Tsuki-senpai… Really…_

"Ano…"

He was seriously taking forever.

Impatient, Len walked closer to Shimizu to give him a good shake. "Damn it…"

"Fuyuumi-chan… I like her…"

_W-what…_

"I'd like to know… if you could tell me… how to know if she likes me back…"

Pinching his nose bridge, Len tried to think of how this kid decided to come to him, out of all the people he knew, about this… love matter. _I don't have time for this_, Len grunted as he walked back to his former position quietly.

"Tsuki-senpai…" Just as when he was about to end the conversation like that, Shimizu grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "I need to know… soon…"

Len didn't feel obliged to do it but he had to. Shimizu-kun's been a good kouhai and he hasn't really gotten into serious trouble. Telling him off with his usual line wasn't really going to be a bright choice.

"Very well…" Although… any answer would do. He didn't really know much about romance except for the book he had just recently found his mother reading. It was a romantic comedy about a straightforward guy confessing his feelings towards this shy girl. The hero was full of mischief and always got into trouble whenever he asked the girl out. Not that he's been reading it… skimming isn't the same as reading it every day.

"Try telling her the things that you like about her." Len blurted out without giving much thought. It was Shimizu, for music's sake. He wouldn't have the energy to think of Len differently, even if he cursed right at him in broad daylight.

Shimizu was staring at him sleepily. _Is he… waiting for more?_ Len stared back in seriousness. This moment couldn't be more awkward. "I-in an extravagant way, with all the balloons and chocolates and banners… things like that." He coughed his way out of the awkwardness.

"Things… I like… about Fuyuumi-chan…" Shimizu thought out loud. Anyone could tell that he was thinking about it. He was looking up in the air.

This boy was hopeless.

"If… you would just kindly exit and close the door, Shimizu…" He didn't mean to interrupt Shimizu's slow train of thought, but then again, he did have something else he had to do besides give away romantic advices. Pushing Shimizu outside and leaving him to his own thoughts, Len continued on his practice.

_The next day…_

A crowd was building up by the plaza as Len tried to make his way past the commotion. He didn't have anything to do with whatever this was about, as far as he was concerned. The crowd was only holding him up from class and he wasn't ready to be late.

"A-ano…"

_That voice..!_

Instead of squeezing out, Len struggled his way to the center of the crowd and found Fuyuumi-chan with Shimizu… along with a lot of things that obviously belonged to a Valentine's shop. When he said "extravagant", he didn't expect that Shimizu would take it this far. Potted flowers beside one another in the ground forming a field of roses along with chocolates melting right by the statue… and to top it off, a big tarpaulin behind all of the pile of anonymous gifts saying "I

"Fuyuumi-chan… I… like… you…"

Oh god, this boy.

"I like your hair… I like your face… I like how neat you are… I like how you play the clarinet… I like your passion towards music… I like that bow in your uniform… I like how you dress… I like how you're shy… I like how you're quiet…"

He could go on forever. Len Tsukimori felt his hand involuntarily clinch and hit his head. When he said he should tell her what he liked about her, he didn't mean it this way.

"I like your eyes… I like your penmanship…"

_Really. Penmanship._

"A-ano… Shimizu-kun…" Finally, Fuyuumi put an end into his misery. Or rather, Tsukimori's misery. "I like you a lot… too." The girl flushed and the whole crowd went wild into what seemed to be a scream of relief, happiness, and jealousy. Shimizu's friends went up to him and congratulated him by shaking him up.

One of his friends slapped him from behind. "I never thought you could do this kind of thing Shimizu!" Shimizu looked at his friend in confusion. "What… thing?"

"H-hey now… Could you… Possibly not know that you've just confessed to Fuyuumi-chan?" His friends backed off a bit to give him some air to think. With Shimizu's slow train of thought, thinking with a crowd around him could take forever.

"Ah… This wasn't my idea…"

_C-crap…_

Somehow the noisy crowd heard that. Everyone grew silent and if Len were to move now, he'd surely be blocked.

"It was…" Shimizu looked around the crowd, as if knowing that Len was somewhere anticipating this moment. Finally finding his target, Shimizu pointed and all eyes now found their way to Tsukimori. Len could feel himself fall distant in the middle of the crowd. "Tsuki-senpai that helped me…"

All eyes were on him as he painfully made his way out in shame. Covering his face, he excused himself from the gossiping students.

"Who knew? Tsukimori-senpai could really be a romantic…" A girl from his left said.

"It must be the violin…" replied another.

"I'd like to see him confess himself… Does he like anyone right now?" A guy from his right started.

"For someone so cold, too…" someone finished off.

It was a day of embarrassment he'd rather forget.

**_- End of KeiichixFuyuumi Flashback…_**

That time was just terrible.

"Moreover…" Ryutaro began. Len had completely forgotten about Tsuchiura. "… Kaho never approved of it." Damn it all, he really wasn't listening. Refusing to let the other know about his negligence, Len continued the conversation as if he was listening. "Why wouldn't she approve of it? Won't that be silly?"

Tsuchiura eyes gleamed, hinted with mischief. He was talking about how Kaho would've never approved of eating in mud. There was a new organic restaurant that opened downtown and it required people to stick their foot in soil. He asked everyone to join him for a meal this week and Kaho declined. It was because of the mud. But it wouldn't hurt to play with Tsukimori a little bit, right?

Tsuchiura sighed and pretended to be disappointed. "Because she said you'd never approve of it." He just felt like this would be the perfect moment to tease Len. His guard was obviously down… and to his pleasure, Tsukimori looked stiff, but later regained his posture. Tsuchiura felt like laughing but held it back a little. He could feel something more interesting coming up.

"Silly girl. What has that got to do with me?" Tsukimori slipped through. "But tell me, Tsuchiura…" He followed. He was getting back at him; Ryutaro could feel it in his guts. "Have you been going out with Mori-san recently?" Oh. Wrong thought. "Well… I have." Tsuchiura replied. Len's mouth curved up and formed a sharp smile, making Tsuchiura stiff this time. "W-what are you getting at Tsukimori?"

Len coughed and looked away. "Nothing… She and I went out for dinner the other day after a charity event. She was my accompanist. Not that it meant anything…" Tsuchiura felt his nerves soften. It was really nothing after all. Besides, Len Tsukimori didn't know how to play with anyone's thoughts. He was a well reserved man. As long as you got out of his way, he wouldn't care about your business at all.

But wait…

"She told me you just smelled so foul with all that soccer practice you've been doing. It's unbecoming for a pianist to smell that foul," Tsukimori walked ahead and looked slightly to his right to catch a glimpse of Tsuchiura turn into a statue. "That coming from Mori-san as well…" Tsuchiura froze in embarrassment and left Len to his victory. Len continued walking towards the academy as Tsuchiura was stuck smelling himself in public like the dog that he was.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

It was really just another ordinary day. The music students were going about their special business. This year, the principal decided to throw a music festival. The school has rented a venue near a closed lake. There would be concerts, booths, games… the kind of fun that he would disapprove of.

Len skimmed through his books and waited for the professor quietly in his desk. Not minding what the rest of the class thought of him, he unwrapped a piece of gum. He was never the type to do so but he skipped breakfast today. His parents were nagging him about where he had placed the contract.

Nagging wasn't a way to put it. His parents were very calm and patient in asking him. He just wasn't the type to answer questions that he thought didn't concern him. Instead of eating the breakfast that was prepared for him by Tomo-san, he stood up to avoid further interrogation. As a result…

_*grumble*_

His stomach was fighting for its dear life. He needed to eat something solid soon. Glancing at the clock, he finds that he still has enough time to visit the cafeteria and buy a snack. But just before he could stand up, the professor barged in with a whole pile of scores. He better see what this is about before he excused himself.

"Good morning, class. We'll be having a quiz today and I assume you've all studied for it." The whole class grew silent as the professor distributed the scores. Their job was to fill the sheets in with the appropriate dynamics. It was an easy enough task for _The_ Len Tsukimori.

A few minutes had gone by and the professor started eating melon bread right in front of the class. Len could just feel his stomach grumbling in anger and this good-for-nothing professor does this.

_How unprofessional…_

_*grumble*_

_This isn't just…_

_*grumble*_

_Nevermind that… Dynamics…_

_*grrrrrrruuuuumble*_

_Oh dear god…_

_*grrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuu uumble grumble grrrrrruuuuumble*_

_Dynamics… Um…_

_*PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIWWWWWWWWWWWWWW W…WOOT*_

The whole class looked at Tsukimori. _Shit…_ He looked up at the professor who had stopped eating his melon bread. "Tsukimori…" The oaf started "Have you had your breakfast?"

He obviously hadn't.

The professor walked up to him and gave him another sheet of paper. (Written: See me in my desk after class.) He sternly looked down at Len. "Tsukimori, I advice that you eat all meals. Just because you're a valued musician doesn't mean you have the right to abuse your ability to go by without a meal. You're not a god."

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

As a punishment for disrupting the class, Len was sentenced to carrying class materials over to the other building.

The General Education Building.

As Len grew closer, he could feel his heart throbbing faster.

_Bah. What are the odds of me seeing Hino here? It's not like she'd be around the corridors at this time of day._

But it was likely. Len peeked in the professor's schedule to see where he's headed to.

_Let's see… 11AM class is…_

His heart stopped. 4-2.

Just when he was about to think of an excuse to leave the work to someone from that class, a _specific someone_ decided to pop up out of nowhere.

"Tsukimori-kun?"

It was Hino. The radiant, cheerful, kawaii…

_Ordinary Hino_. Len convinced himself that she was nothing more than the typical Japanese high school girl. Cheery face, cheery smile, cheery aura.

Kahoko looked into the pile of things that Len was carrying. She sensed that he could really use some help. "Do you need help?" she asked. Len felt like he was obliged to take her up on her offer but it would really hurt his manhood if he let a girl help her do something, right?

"This doesn't concern you."

"Yes it does!" Honestly, this woman didn't know when to stop anymore. For the last two years, has she not known that this was his line to get away from everything he couldn't possibly give a straight answer to? "Come on, I don't bite!" She defended. "And besides, that's for my class, isn't it?"

_Darn it_.

Kaho helped herself to the things that she could carry and Len stood still in the midst of Gen-Ed students. "So it does concern me after all!" Leaving Len dumbfounded, Kaho went off and led the way to their room. She was just the kind of oblivious creature that he wouldn't want to be paired with.

Please, he was Len Tsukimori. At his age, he was considered a master in his own art. He answered to nobody and he made his own rules. He was cold, he was charming, and he was well-off. All Kahoko ever will be is cheery. To pair the likes of him to the likes of her would eventually result to the world's end.

They finally arrive in front of her classroom door and she slid the door open. The usual classroom scenario was taking place. Usual being chatting. Everybody was pretty much busy with their own business before one of them caught the sight of Len Tsukimori.

The class grew silent as the two went in. Kahoko quickly placed the things on the professor's desk and Len followed closely behind. He couldn't deny it. Even though classes from the music department could be quiet at times, there's no going wrong in thinking that when a gen-ed class grows silent, something must be up. And he knew he was part of it.

Mio and Nao quickly ran behind Kahoko and greeted Len with a smile. "Good morning, Tsukimori-kun!" The two were always in unison whenever they greeted him… they were also always behind Kahoko for some reason. Like they were her maids in waiting.

"Good morning." Len had managed to force a decent greeting with the tension gathering up inside the room. He bowed down gracefully and turned around; exiting the classroom he would be a hot topic in about three seconds after he leaves. He always drew that kind of attention and he was used to that.

"Wait! Tsukimori-kun!" She just had to wait until he'd left.

Len turned right around back and looked at her dead on. She fidgeted. He looked like he was ready to pounce on somebody. "U-uh… Tsuchiura-kun found a neat place just down the pass. He's asked me to ask you if you'd want to come along?"

_That man has serious issues regarding payback_. Tsukimori grunted and left without a word of affirmation. Wasting his time with stupid questions. He didn't have time for any of those.

"Tsukimori-kun's always in a bad mood, neh?" Mio, one of Kahoko's best friends, started.

"That's the problem with people who think highly of themselves. They just seem to hate the rest of the world for not keeping up." Nao, another one of Kahoko's best friends, continued.

"Now, now… We all know that isn't true. Tsukimori-kun could be a nice person at times. Maybe he just got into some sort of trouble today." Kahoko sat on her chair and sighed. She opened her textbook and started scanning the pages. Yesterday, they were given a month-long homework in logarithms. And god, were they hard. Kahoko's sure that she's going to fail but there's nothing else to do but try.

"Ah, I pity you Kahoko." Nao spat from behind as she was eating a piece of bread that was supposed to be for lunch. "Who even told you that you had to defend Tsukimori-kun and his ego?"

"I'm not defending anyone, Nao."

"Yeah! She's just that kind of person! She'd defend you too!" Mio argued. It's a good thing she had two best friends. Whenever one would decide to act as the devil, the other would just swoop in as a blessing.

"Quiet down! I'm trying to concentrate! Logarithms… what would I do with these…" She was whining again. Nao and Mio looked at each other, then back at Kahoko. She was always the whiny one. She was diligent and she could persevere anything. She tries. But she whines. That was the problem.

Nao patted her friend's back and smiled. "Cheer up, Hino! All you need is a little push-"

"-and you'd understand math in no time!" Mio finished.

Kahoko resigned her head on her book and admitted defeat quietly. It was only just the start of the month, after all. Waiting till the last minute to do it wouldn't hurt anyone.

She jumped off her seat and beamed brightly at her friends. "I know this great cake shop that opened recently! A friend of mine said the owner made really good macaroons! Let's go at it on Wednesday?"

Mio and Nao blinked. One of these days, Kahoko's carefree attitude would be her own demise.

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**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Another day has ended.

Len Tsukimori puffed a soft sigh as he fixed his things. He didn't know how his desk was suddenly occupied with that much work to be done. Their professors gave them homework as if it weren't enough that they had a festival to prepare for. Moreover, music students in Seiso Academy are required to have at least one selective class made to enhance their musical abilities. That alone ate up 5 hours of their time, what more could their professors ask for?

Pitching in the last book, Tsukimori lifted his bag up from his desk. Just before he could turn around and leave the room, Mori-san wedged herself between the entryway and Tsukimori.

"Tsukimori-san, don't think you can escape this time," Mori held up a flyer that showcased a new restaurant two blocks down from Seiso Academy. "Don't think we'd let you miss out on this."

Len took a step back and tried to exit the other way quickly, but Mori was just too fast. "Hino's going to come along as well. I wouldn't try to miss that opportunity if I were you." She waved the flyer back and forth, thinking that it'd help intimidate Tsukimori to come.

Len gritted his teeth. "Look, I don't know why and I don't know how but you people should stop looking at me like I'd give a care about what Hino's doing." With that being said, he made his way past Mori to get out of the room before she could even stop him again.

But of course, escaping wasn't going to be easy.

"Yo." Just before he could turn to walk down the corridor, he caught a glance of Tsuchiura leaning on the wall. Beside him was Shimizu, leaning over his cello. Not giving much care to why they were there, Tsukimori turned around hoping to pass the other way, only to find Yunoki-senpai and Kazuki blocking the other end of the hall.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kazuki smirked.

Len looked away and pretended like he didn't see them. "It's none of your business. I'm sorry I can't join your gentlemen for a quick meal but I promise I'll make it up to you as soon as I get the time." He stood there waiting for them to clear the way for him to pass by. The others weren't so tough to break.

"My, my Tsukimori-kun..." Yunoki-senpai held his chin and looked at Len with intention. "It looks like you're in avoiding someone... A certain red-haired female, perhaps?" Yunoki-senpai was playing with him again. He knew that gleam in his eyes wasn't just a gleam to charm, but a gleam for suspicion. But Len wasn't ready to be played. Not today.

"I'm not avoiding Kahoko. It's just that I have to go straight home to practice my piece for the gala. Stop accusing me of something that doesn't concern me." And with that, Len walked past Kazuki and Yunoki like it was nobody's business. Why was everyone trying to push Kahoko into everything he's doing? He's playing his part trying to rub off the strange feeling. Just because she's helped him open new doors to his music doesn't mean he's in love with her. Appreciative, yes, but not in love. And that's 'appreciative' as a colleague.

Yunoki-senpai smiled softly and crossed his arms as he turned his way around, back facing Tsukimori. "I didn't say anything about Hino." This caused Len to halt. "There must be a hundred of other girls in this school and out with fiery-red hair, few of which you know. And out of all the girls, she was the first one you thought of…"

Azuma smirked, knowing that he's won yet another round out of many. "I didn't say you were avoiding Kahoko specifically. You came up with that one on your own."

The others froze and waited. Well-played.

Len shrugged it off. "It doesn't matter what I thought of. Naturally, she'd be the first one I'd think of since we're always together. And besides-"

He stopped himself when he heard Kazuki cough. He could hear Tsuchiura starting to fight his laughter back into his throat. "I mean 'we' as to all of us." He quickly recovered as Tsuchiura let it out. Everyone soon started laughing and Tsukimori stormed out of the hall, exited the building, and walked out of the campus as he gritted his teeth. _Damn it, _he thought, _I've lost again_.

He looked up the sky. It was getting dark. He needed to be home a little later than that. Missing supper with his parents would be a good way to avoid the 'topic'. Where to go?

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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**Go on ahead to Chapter 3 :D**

Please review on what I've done up till now... I accept criticism, just not on the main pairing since it's already been done :D

**REVIEWS PLEASE :)**


	3. 3: The Probable Solution

So lately I've been busy with our finals week but I just had to keep on writing. So here's chapter three :D

**I swear I'm going to break down soon T.T**

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Figuring out that it was better to eat dinner at home than bump into any of his friends in the city, Len Tsukimori decided that he go home and go straight up to his room to avoid any conversation with his parents. If he were to meet Yunoki-senpai and the rest in the district, he'd be accused of lying to get away from Hino and he'd never heard the end of it.

The Tsukimori Residence was one of the largest houses that anyone could see in Tokyo, complete with the art and history of music. His parents, a violinist and a pianist, made sure that their only son grew with music in his mind, therefore filling every corner of the household with statues of great composers and instruments. A classy family, this one. Len's parents were usually out of the country, earning for more than enough to sustain their high-profile life. Len would always be alone at home with Tomo-san, who acted as his father while they were gone. Len didn't ask for much attention from his parents and that is why they all grew apart from each other year after year. They were always gone, he was always alone, and they seldom had time to catch up even if they're together in one place.

Big. Beautiful. Empty.

Len closed the door to his room and placed his violin case on the floor. He walked towards his desk and began unloading his bag. So many things to do, so little time. He was going to start with math first, his favorite academic subject. He sat down and exhaled a great amount of air before starting. After he's through with his homework, he'd go straight to practicing his piece for the gala. Estimating the time he had for all of this, he'd only have 2 hours of sleep before waking up for school. So much for high school.

He pulled out a drawer to look for a pen. Concentrating on the sheet in front of him, he let his hand do the searching. His hand rummaged through the random scores and documents in his drawer, but no pen. He pulled the drawer further out and found something else.

Len stared at the contract with hatred. Snapping himself out of it, he quickly shut the drawer and continued his search for a pen. The contract just added unwanted stress once more to a supposedly peaceful and productive night.

Where on earth did he put his pens?

_*knock knock*_

_Great. Another distraction_. Len stood up and reached for the knob. Outside, Tomo-san was standing in his formal tuxedo. "Young master, the master and the honorable mistress request that you go down for coffee."

"Please tell them that I'm busy with schoolwork."

"They insist."

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Tension filled the room and yet, for the past ten minutes, not a word has been spoken from either parties.

Len's cup was already half empty. He closed his eyes and waited patiently for one of them to talk.

The man with hair in a darker shade of blue began to talk. "Len, we know you're upset about the engagement we set up for you..." The man went by the name Yuudai Tsukimori. Standing 5 feet tall and shy of 12 inches with cadet blue hair, he was a world renowned violinist and the man that Len took his looks from. Right beside him was Len's mother, Misa Hamai (Tsukimori), with short dark cyan hair and golden eyes. Just like her husband, she's been famous in the field of music with her instrument, the piano.

"But we think you're going to love her," Misa continued. "It's going to be hard but-"

"I don't want this engagement." Len cut his mother off. He didn't want this talk to progress. The more that they talk, the more that they hurt his pride. Misa Hamai looked down on her cup as she got lost in sorrow. She didn't mean to burden her son with such a duty. Seeing his wife's face sag down, Yuu stared his son down.

"We're not doing this for ourselves. This is for your own good. When we're gone, the income in this household will slowly fade away and you won't be enough to sustain yourself." Near to yelling, he stopped. "Now unless you find a girl suitable enough, this agreement will have to do."

Len stood up from his seat, clenching his fists. Trying to keep his calm, he closes his eyes. "There will be no girl and I will pretend as if this conversation never happened. I'm sorry to disappoint, father, but I know that I am capable of handling myself. My capability to provide for myself is unquestionable." With this, Len storms out of the tea area; leaving his parents in the awkward, empty room.

Why couldn't his parents trust him just this once?

Yuudai Tsukimori looked out of the window as his wife resigned her head on his chest. "Don't worry, Misa. We're going to force the boy in this... slowly."

Len clenched his fists tighter and hit his forehead. Defeated, he slid down the wall in woe.

In another room before him stood Tomo-san, keeping his posture straight as if he didn't see anything. Beside him was a younger servant, shocked after seeing such tension inside the Tsukimori residence for the first time. Tomo-san looked at his young master with a plan. He leaned towards the younger servant beside him.

"If I were the young master, I would rethink the conversation carefully. I must've left out something that could've helped me." The younger servant, not knowing what her senior was talking about, stared in confusion. But Len wasn't.

"It was something about suitability… another girl…" Tomo-san waved his hand in the air. "Forget it. I'm too old for this kind of thing anyway! Remembering things…" he laughed as he took the duster on the table. "Come on now, back to dusting."

The younger servant, though confused, picked up her feather duster and stared at Tomo-san as he did his business. Len stood up and ran up the stairs. That's it. There's a way out of this and he couldn't believe that it was going to be this easy.

"Young master…" Tomo-san called out from below. Len turned around and waited for him to talk. Smiling, Tomo-san continued, "Should I get the car ready?"

Len smiled back at Tomo-san. "No, Tomo-san. I can walk my way downtown."

Tomo-san bowed gently and looked at his young master. He has indeed grown into a real, fine man. Soon enough, he'd be serving for his household and not his father's. It'd be of great pleasure to serve his young master and the woman that he'd wed. He'll do anything to keep Len sure of who he wants to spend his eternity with.

Len ran on up to his room and changed quickly. Just before he left the house, the clouds started turning red.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

"I'm not going to put much thought in it if I were you but I think Tsukimori-kun was really just busy. Forcing him on Kahoko like that was kind of uncalled for."

Kahoko blushed from the words that Mori blurted out. Tonight's dinner topic was about Tsukimori and his frequent loss of time for the group.

"A man with that much skill and looks is kind of in demand. When I accompanied him on a charity event, a lot of respectable people came towards him, offering opportunities to showcase his talent even more to the general public." Mori snacked on another piece of cinnamon roll.

On the other end of the table was Yunoki-senpai, not pondering as hard as everyone else. "It was just a little game. Tsukimori's already used to it…"

"Hold on, let me just call him…" Tsuchiura took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Len's number.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"EVERYONE!"

The whole café was caught dumbfounded, staring at the man that burst in. He was tired and sweat was dripping off his body, not to mention that he was dripping wet from the heavy rain outside. The blue-haired man let go of the glass door and bowed down to his friends.

"I need help… so please… help me…"

A waiter approached him and offered a towel.

"Tsukimori-senpai!" Fuyuumi jumped off her seat and grabbed the towel that the waiter offered. She led Len towards an empty chair at the table. The group gave him time to recover from his exhaustion, filling the next five minutes in silence. Fuyuumi aided her senpai as Shimizu began to order something for him. The rest were just staring at him, confused. It is very unlikely of Len Tsukimori to barge in dripping wet in a café on a rainy school night.

After a sip of hot cappuccino, Len came to his senses. Around him were his friends, all complete, staring at him and waiting for him to talk. He regretted coming down at this hour, under that kind of rain, to ask his friends for help on a subject that didn't concern them.

"So…" Kazuki started. Len focused on his cup of coffee rather than looking up. "You needed help?"

Kazuki Hihara was beside Azuma Yunoki. In front of Yunoki-senpai was Ryutaro with his interest and classmate, Mori Manami. Kahoko Hino was beside Mori, trying to hide her concern as she looked at him.

Len stood up and bowed down gracefully. He was about to leave when Kazuki pushed Keiichi away to grab hold of Tsukimori and placed him back on his seat. "You're not going to leave that easily!"

"What gives?! I changed my mind!" Len struggled as Kazuki took a table napkin to tie him with.

"At least… pay for the coffee…" Shimizu cut in.

"You went through this entire process of making quite an entrance so why not tell us what you came here for anyway?" Yunoki-senpai crossed his legs from the other end of the table and propped his elbows. "We'd love to help a friend in need." There it was again. His eyes hinted mischief.

"Alright, alright!" Len kicked Kazuki's knee to get him off his back. The poor guy limped towards his seat before Len finally started talking about his problem.

Everyone leaned towards Len, excluding Yunoki-senpai, as he took a deep breath.

"I… am going to get engaged and I need a way out of it." He blurted it all out in the open. It felt great. And that was certainly a surprise.

Len received different looks from the tables around them but the only thing he was concerned about was what his friends looked like at the moment. Seeing as though nobody knew how to respond, Yunoki-senpai took the liberty of asking the questions.

"Have you met the girl?"

"No."

"Do you at least know what she's like? Any clues?"

"I haven't got the faintest idea."

With that being said, Azuma stopped asking his questions. More than anyone in the group, he has the knowledge of how it feels like to be in an arranged marriage. Though lucky to find the girl to his liking and him to her, he is fully aware that most aren't as lucky as he is. The chance of Len liking this girl is below 0. Considering his icy attitude, he doubts that the girl would like Len back as well.

Len looked away, trying to avoid anything else more awkward than this. More so, Kahoko was watching. He didn't mind Mori-san or Fuyuumi-chan at all. Fuyuumi-chan was a kouhai, which meant that whatever happened to him, she knew where to stand; far away. Mori-san's a classmate, so he's kind of used to her butting into things. He glanced beside Mori and found a red-haired girl staring at her plate. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact that much.

"Don't you want to know?"

Len blinked. All of a sudden, Kazuki was already right up his face. _What does guy have to do to get some private space around these people?_

He grunted and picked the menu up. If he was going to stay, might as well order something to eat. "I really don't want anything to do with whoever that girl is."

Tsuchiura placed his arm around Mori-san, who was actually trying her best to eat everything in front of her. Who would've thought Mori-san would have that big of an appetite? "Why don't you try to at least make it your business for once? It _does_ concern you greatly." Len darted Tsuchiura with a hard look that, of course, Mori blocked. The girl was chewing on another bread stick.

"Because I don't want to make it my business."

"Whether you like it or not Tsukimori, it is. There must be some way out of it." Yunoki-senpai had laid it on the table. Len knew there was a solution. He was getting to that.

"There is." Len replied. The rest of the group looked so eager to help him. This was getting weirder and weirder. Len placed the menu down. "I have to find another girl suitable to replace her."

There goes another thing he'd regret for the rest of his life, he thought. Seeing as though his friends grinned, he could almost feel the solution become his next dilemma.

"How about we hold an audition for this?! This is going to be exciting!" Mori suggested with enthusiasm. Tsuchiura twitched beside her. "We can't really do that, Manami. And besides, even if we do that, you can be sure that Tsukimori's aura will chase off any potential bets."

Kazuki pondered hard and hit the table when an idea finally got him. "You can borrow Miyabi-chan!" This time, it was Yunoki's turn to twitch. "You can't be serious, Kazuki. You can't lend your girlfriend; Len's going to have her for keeps if he manages to get his parents to buy this. Her being my sister as well..."

"Tsuki-senpai... why not Kaho-chan?" Shimizu suggested. His eyes found their way to Kahoko, who was already shaking in nervousness. "D-don't be silly Shimizu-san! W-why me?!"

It was obvious that she was the only one in the table who wasn't up for it. The rest of the group seemed to be trying oh-so hard to hide what they really think about the pair-up. Tsuchiura obviously wanted to laugh but Mori-san went and hit his stomach. Kazuki was grinning at Azuma, who was already thinking ahead of the situation. Way ahead.

Fuyuumi looked at Kahoko and pleaded. "Don't worry Kahoko-senpai! We'll all help you through it!"

Len's eyes reverted from the red-haired girl. He called on a waiter and ordered his food. "I'll have a honey-glazed soft bread, fresh out of the oven. If I can't have it hot, then I'll have another cup of hot coffee instead." The waiter obediently wrote down his order and walked back to the counter.

He closed his eyes and let the group decide on their own. With or without his opinion, they'd still go on about this topic. If he were to be heard out, he'd love to say that he completely rejects this idea but sadly, his opinion wasn't needed at the moment. He had to find inner peace in order to fully ignore their sentiments.

Kahoko cupped her hands on her ears and tried to concentrate in what was going on. Everyone seemed to be spatting out random compliments, trying to earn her favor to get into this situation. Len, on the other hand, kept his calm and convinced himself that Kahoko won't ever give in to the pressure. Little did he know that she was close.

"What do you think Len?" Len looked up and saw everyone else looking at him, including Kahoko. She looked more anxious than ever. Finding his inner peace certainly worked. He didn't know jack shit about what was happening around him. It was supposed to be a good thing.

"I'd rather do the audition." he answered. Mori-san's eyes gleamed and her face shifted from happy to glad. But other things had to be said.

Kahoko didn't know whether or not his answer was for her own good. She felt relieved and rejected at the same time. When he said that _he'd rather_ do the audition, it was as if he said she wasn't worth taking a chance. She admits to herself that she wouldn't be anywhere near as to how the girl would look like, but she wasn't half bad. Yunoki-senpai, seeing Kahoko's expression change, initiated another mind game for Tsukimori.

"So, Tsukimori-san... You think Kahoko isn't good enough?" Len darted Yunoki with one of his piercing looks. Kahoko once again felt the nervousness come back. Whenever Yunoki-senpai said something like that, it could never be good.

As the waiter placed a plate of honey-glazed soft bread in front of Tsukimori as he found it hard to look for an answer inside his mind. It wasn't that he thought she wasn't good enough. In fact, he admits that he hasn't been thinking straight from the moment that he barged into the place. This marriage thing is driving him nuts and he hasn't even entered the whole deal yet.

"I didn't say that she wasn't good enough." he replied as his fork pierced through the soft bread.

Yunoki sat up straight and smirked. "So you think she's good enough?"

"Not for this." Len bit into the honey-glazed goodness of the bread.

The purple-haired man propped his elbow on the table. "So she isn't good enough?"

"Again, not for this."

"Saying that she isn't good enough for one thing basically generalizes her not being good enough for anything else. If she was good enough, she'd be good enough for everything."

Len found it unusual that his head was aching from trying to understand simple logic. Yunoki smiled and went ahead to deciding for him.

Kahoko fixed herself as Yunoki opened his mouth. "It's settled then. Kahoko as Len's sweetheart." He gave her a wink. Kahoko blushed. What was with him that made everything feel unnatural?!

Before Len could even protest, he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled his phone from his pocket and read a message from his dad. It read:

_Len, we'll be having a dinner with the girl's family the evening after tomorrow at 7PM. Don't be late._

He winced. Kahoko wasn't the best choice but she'll have to do. He closed his phone and put it back into his pocket. Kahoko was practically dying of embarrassment as the group's compliments showered her. _This is going to be tough_, he thought. He had to turn a complete klutz into a lady in one day.

Len sighed. "If you want this to happen that badly, Yunoki-senpai, then I guess you'd have to help me turn her into a lady in one day." He took another bite of soft bread before continuing. "We're having a formal dinner with the girl's family the day after tomorrow."

Yunoki-senpai gave off a hearty laugh before answering Len. "You seem to misunderstand me for an amateur when it comes to engagements, Tsukimori-san."

The night got deeper as the group commenced in planning Kahoko's day for tomorrow. Tomorrow was going to be anything but ordinary.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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**Chapter 3 finally done! *throws confetti all over the place***

**R&R please! **Also, I'm open for suggestions _

**To Chapter 4 you go!** ~ Your reviews were just so touching that it's gearing me up to continue. Thanks a lot you guys T.T


	4. 4: In Denial

Tossing and turning was Kahoko Hino's new midnight job.

The persona of that calm violinist was dominating her head. Len Tsukimori; music student junior, child prodigy, master violinist, candidate for student council presidency with the bonus of a totally cool stance.

Kahoko was suffocating by just thinking about him. He was the embodiment of the perfect boyfriend material. She knew how girls would faint and stare just by seeing him walk the corridors. He could easily be the center of school gossip if he wanted to.

She's been trying to fight her feelings for more than two years now, and still every time he shows up, the feelings just find their way back into her head. The way that his school suit fits him perfectly and how he stands in the middle of the crowd just shouts dreamland. His icy attitude was just more than anyone could handle but thank god he was born with his good looks. His parents did him good for that.

Kahoko shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking about him like this. Not right now. She's going to be his pretend girlfriend for until god knows when. Thinking about him like this would result to a harshly unrequited love. Right now, all she had to do was smile and do what she's told. And besides... if it wasn't for this engagement, Tsukimori wouldn't even be this close to needing her.

He didn't like her before, he wouldn't like her now... he wouldn't like her ever. She just had to make this her mantra for the next few days.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

At the Tsukimori residence, Len wasn't really doing any better. He gazed at the white ceiling and hoped that this plan would work.

He turned over to his left. He wasn't really the type of guy who'd put pictures on his desk but somehow, a few pictures ended up there. One of them being that of Tsuchiura and Mori's. Manami beaming brightly as Tsuchiura's eyes were focused on her. They gave it to him as a keepsake of how he helped them find their way to each other.

He went back to facing the ceiling.

_**- RyotaroxManami Flashback...**_

"You better have a good reason for dragging me all the way here, Ryotaro." Len addressed the sun-tanned man sitting across the table as he dusted his clothes. He was literally dragged all the way from Seiso to this fast-food chain. He removed his coat and hung it to a chair in between them. After what Tsuchiura did, he obviously needed to have a new one made to replace it.

Ryotaro's face was as red as the ketchup on his fries. He was looking outside, completely ignoring Len's presence. As Tsukimori heard no feedback from him, there was nothing else left to do other than guess. Just by looking at Tsuchiura, he could already tell that he was about to confess something. "If this is about Hino, you can expect nothing from me." Len stated. He could feel that this was going to be one of those debates regarding Hino. Tsuchiura was always touchy when it came to Kahoko. He wasn't about to waste valuable practice time for this.

Ryotaro looked at his fries and looked defeated. _This is pointless_, Len thought. "If you're just going to sit there like a statue, then I'd like to have the right to leave you here as your fries go stale." Len waited patiently for what seemed to be five minutes. He was near to grabbing his coat. He was wasting too much time idle.

Just when Len opened his eyes, Tsuchiura opened his mouth and the words just found their way out. "I'm in love with Mori-san!" Realizing that he had shouted at Len, Ryotaro lowered his head. It was Tsukimori's turn to find words. What does this have to do with him? "I know you're probably thinking that this is none of your business-" _Damn right, you are._ "-but you're her classmate. And I know of no one else who could help me any better than you." Tsuchiura cut himself off there. He could see that his friend was still speechless. His hand was covering his mouth as he tried to fight off the laughter. It was insulting.

Tsuchiura banged his fist on the table. "Damn it, you bastard! Just tell me how I'd get to her!"

"Sorry... B-But..." Len swallowed his laughter. "Sorry. What was I here for again?" From hardly being able to control his laughter to his cool facade in a split second. Tsuchiura was convinced that it was a talent that only the great Len Tsukimori had.

"I-I like Manami Mori. Your classmate? I wanted to know if you could tell me what to do... It's just weird. Every time I pass by your division and I see her, she just makes my stomach twirl... Help me?"

It was a bit too early to say it but Len was tired of being asked such questions. He didn't feel obliged to answer his question but then again, he did go through all the trouble just to get him all the way here. He even bought him a meal out of his own pocket. Len knew that it hurt Tsuchiura to do this, mainly because they haven't been the best of friends from the start.

_What the hell. A few words won't hurt_, Len uttered to himself, completely forgetting what 'a few words' could do.

"I've heard that Mori-san liked surprises. The type that you wouldn't expect from a man such as yourself." He started. Tsuchiura was taking down notes on a tissue. This was just priceless. "For a girl from a highly respected family, you'd think that she'd have expensive taste but in reality, she expects something small but special." Then it hit him. He remembered the little mistake he'd committed with Shimizu that caused him public embarrassment. "Nothing too grand." He added. Tsuchiura obediently nodded. He seemed eager to follow these, unlike Shimizu who was a bit lost from the beginning of his consultation, which lead to a grand display of affection that scarred Tsukimori for life.

Tsuchiura reread what he wrote down the paper and got down to every detail. He raised a brow at Len. "How'd you know all these?"

Len was flustered. "She's my classmate. I hear her talk to her friends. Her seat isn't that far from where I am." It hurt him to admit that he has been listening to gossip. It really did. Tsuchiura grinned and let him off. But he could tell that he just wanted to rub it in his face.

Len took the initiative of ending the encounter. He grabbed his jacket and momentarily paused to look at it. "You owe me a new one."

Tsuchiura didn't seem bothered by it at all. He sipped on his cup and smiled. "Sure I do." Darn it. He had his hold on him for this one. Len took his bag and walked out of the place, leaving Tsuchiura to his own thoughts regarding his confession.

_**The following morning...**_

English being his favorite subject, Tsukimori listened attentively, trying to get everything right down his notebook. They were having a quiz right after. He wasn't too worried about failing. He was fairly good at speaking the language. He just had to understand the structure and verb languages.

Completely forgetting about what happened yesterday, Tsukimori anticipated that his day was going to be amazingly ordinary. Just the way that he liked it.

The professor stopped writing. Placing her chalk on the ledge, she turned around to face the entry way. "I'm done. You can come in now."

It was a bit unusual for a professor from the music department to welcome someone in like that. They usually prefer their classes to be undisturbed. Curious, Tsukimori set his eyes on the entry way and waited for the guest to come in.

Balloons were the first thing that the class saw, followed by a bouquet of roses. And if that wasn't enough to stir up a thought, a man cautiously entered the room, a red line ran across his face as he made his way to the center of the platform. A box of chocolates was tucked under his arm and his built was practically shaking.

For the love of god...

Tsukimori finally remembered the little conversation he had with Tsuchiura yesterday. He was ready to excuse himself from the class and hit himself in the men's room for this. He tried not to be noticed as he looked at Mori. It looked like she already knew that he was there for her. Well, she should. They were staring right at each other.

Much to his grief, Len had to stay and watch the whole thing unfold before his eyes. The best he could do right now is pray that he doesn't get mentioned. He watched as Tsuchiura made his way towards Mori, standing as stiff as ever, and stretched his arms as he offered the roses and the balloons. He completely forgot about the box of chocolates. They fell on the floor. Len looked sideways and stared at the chocolates. This was bad.

"I, Ryotaro Tsuchiura..."

"I like you too!" Mori snapped and caught both Ryotaro and Len dumbfounded. "I like you... a lot..." She said, a little more subtle than how she first said it. Len tried to keep his cool. He felt like he was going to survive this one.

He could tell that the whole class was trying to keep it down but it just wasn't happening. Whisper after whisper after whisper; all their whispers just mashed up together and made a whole symphony of loud murmurs that made Len uncomfortable. But, being the ever-so cool guy, he composed himself and sat up straight as Tsuchiura made his way through the classroom.

Len felt his nerves calm down a bit as Tsuchiura had reached the entry way without as much as a 'hello' directly at him. He sighed to his freedom. He has never felt this relieved in days. Even though he knew that practice was waiting for him at the end of the day, he was glad that he got one obstacle over. An obstacle that he had forgotten, to say the least.

But...

Tsuchiura went back and quickly said what he had forgotten. "W-Will you meet me by the hall for lunch?"

Mori blushed as she tucked her golden hair behind her ear. Tsukimori was more than ignorant at this point, therefore heightening his feelings to what would follow Ryoutaro's next reply. "I'd love to, Tsuchiura-kun."

"Ryoutaro." Tsuchiura corrected her. He then looked at Len, who was currently waiting on the lecture to commence once more, patiently. "Hey, Tsukimori."

Len darted his eyes towards Tsuchiura. "Join us for lunch. I couldn't have done this without you." With that and a wink, Tsuchiura left the room, closing the door behind him. Len was left in the middle of the class, experiencing a gossip accumulating once more around him. Even his professor found it amusing that he had something to do with this.

"Tsukimori... Why, I never knew you were the type!" Their professor gave off a soft laugh as Mori-san patted his back. "There, there, Tsukimori-kun. It's alright. You've done something good." He felt like hiding his head inside his bag. After what Mori-san had said, the whole class soon followed in praise.

"Wow, Tsukimori-kun! Have you been acting cupid?"

"Yeah! First, it was Keiichi Shimizu from the lower level. Now, our very own Mori-san and that soccer guy!"

"I heard he played really well Mori-san! Lucky for you to have Tsukimori to help him find his way to you!"

"I bet the next time Tsukimori-kun would play cupid for would be himself!"

He never heard the end of it. Just when he thought that the whole Keiichi incident was gone and forgotten, Tsuchiura comes up with the brilliant idea to scar his life forever.

_**- End of RyotaroxManami Flashback...**_

Len sighed as he looked at the alarm clock on the end table by his bedside. 1:20AM. Still a long way to go. He kicked the extra sheets off his feet and tried to sleep on his side. The thought of Ryoutaro and Manami together was sickening. His stomach felt weird. Then a weird thought came over him.

What does it feel like to love anyway? When Ryoutaro confessed that he loved Manami... What could it have been like for him?

Len looked straight up at the ceiling again. He was convinced that he'd never fall in love. He tried to picture the girl that his parents set up for him. She must be a real lady. Knowing his mother's taste, this girl might be a musician herself. Not bad for the eyes either. Come to think of it, they might really be perfect for each other. He could imagine a girl like that beside him. Peaceful, talented, and beautiful – a real gem. She was going to be his partner, but he doubted that they'd be in love. He could live with that. He didn't need the extra pain to deal with.

Although...

It would be nice if he had someone to laugh with every now and then. He also needed someone who was caring enough to attend to his needs. He was aware that he had the worst moods so he needed someone to understand him. Len looked around his room. This house was too dull. He envisions his house to be brighter. More cheery. He also needed that kind of music to fill his home. He needed to make good music with whoever he was going to marry in order to keep the harmony running around the house.

He needed a smile to keep his mood up. He needed color. The girl his parents set him up with might just be the perfect girl but she certainly wasn't going to be the right one. The right one would be someone who'd tip him off his balance. Someone who was far from being his clone. Someone who would bring a certain feeling into his music. Someone who wasn't from a prestige family or had a clean-slated background.

Len tossed around to the other side of his bed. He just couldn't describe his perfect girl correctly. If he didn't know what he wanted, then he wouldn't be sure of what love looked like. Love must have been the complete opposite of him. Love must been something happy. Love must be something fresh. Love would definitely be close to something like enthusiasm. Love would be...

Kahoko Hino.

Quickly rejecting her image, Len went back to facing the ceiling. It was probably already a quarter to 2:00AM and his head must be tired from all the score sheets he's been reading. Kahoko entering his mind like that was probably just the stress talking. Placing a hand on his stomach, he clenched his shirt. He could feel his stomach turn around inside. His heart was beating fast, sending heat up his cheeks as he gazed at the white ceiling. He wondered... when Tsuchiura said that Mori made his stomach twirl, was it like this? Is this love?

Len scuffed and pulled his covers up until his chest. "Love is stupid." Like a stubborn child, he stuck with this statement and closed his eyes.

But it kept him awake all night.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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**Hop onto Chapter 5~!**

_Lols I don't know what I should do with all of these things but I'm sure that I want to thank all of you for supporting this fic. I'm getting excited thinking about the next one._

**_Review, anyone? :)_**


	5. 5: The Perfect Fit

Here is Chapter 5... now with a title! :D

_**Reviews please? :3**_

.

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The next morning, Kahoko was walking on her way to school. Others could say that a day like this would be perfect for fishing. The skies were clear and one could view the sun without much clouds blocking it. The breeze was light enough to compete with the heat. Somehow, Kahoko felt like today was made especially for her.

But that was being too ambitious.

The event that occurred last night was one that she wouldn't forget. She wondered if he was really serious when he agreed to having her pretend. _Maybe it was just the honey-glazed bun_, she sighed. She was convinced that he was just trapped by Yunoki-senpai to that decision. That man could persuade anyone into anything, can't he?

_Speak of the devil._

The window slid down, slowly revealing a purple-haired man calmly sitting at the back of the car. Kahoko stopped walking and looked at the smiling Yunoki. Odd that he ran into her today. He hasn't run into her like this in two years.

"Kaho-chan, want a ride? I'm on my way to shop and I'm passing by Seiso." Yunoki offered as Kahoko stared. It wasn't like there was anything new about Yunoki-senpai giving her a ride. Although he did have this other personality that might alter this situation. Standing her ground, Kahoko looked away. "Thank you for offering, Yunoki-senpai, but I feel like walking to school today... if you don't mind." Kahoko said, holding her chin up as she spoke. Yunoki-senpai was kind, but that was just one side of him. God knows what he could turn into in just a matter of seconds.

Kahoko's ear rang as soon as Yunoki laughed. Did he find this amusing? It was a bit insulting on her part.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Kaho-chan. Tsukimori's here with me as well." Yunoki said in order to make her feel a bit warmer. Lowering her head, she peeked inside the car. Len Tsukimori was on the other side of the car with his arm resting on the door. His hand kept his chin up as he looked outside. He just looked like himself, cool as ever.

Without waiting for Kahoko's consent, Azuma opened the door and stepped out to let her in first. She went in obediently and kept her knees together. Feeling the presence of another person beside him, Len moved a little to his right to give more room for her to move around in, though it didn't help with Kahoko's thoughts of Len avoiding her.

Len kept his head facing the other way as Kahoko kept hers down. As Azuma boarded the car once more, he signaled the driver to lock the doors and drive on. He looked to his right and saw the couple lacking communication. Kahoko's cheeks were heated up and she's still trying so hard to keep it in. Len, on the other hand, was completely ignorant. His body was as stiff as a post. He smiled gently at both of them. "Not even a good morning?" He asked.

"A-Ah..." Kahoko opened her mouth but nothing seemed to come out. Yunoki blinked. She tried again. "O-Ohayo... gozaimas..." She tried. Feeling a bit relieved that the words somehow managed to find their way out of her lungs, she eased her shoulder. She did feel a bit tense. Even Azuma could feel it. She just wasn't sure if Tsukimori felt it. Not that she wanted him to feel it though. That was actually what she was avoiding.

"Now, now..." Yunoki casually crossed his legs, subtly nudging Kahoko to her right as he moved in position. "That isn't how you'd greet your boyfriend, right?" Now he's done it. Kahoko gulped audibly as Yunoki held his smile ever so consistently. He pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and scanned the list.

"Let's see..." Kahoko glanced at the paper, trying not to be obvious. Her eyes widened. Was he... reading a list of pet names?! "What the hell is that?!" She complained. "W-We don't need that!" She tried to grab the paper off of Yunoki's hands but he just kept on waving it farther away from her.

"But of course you need this!" Yunoki-senpai waved the paper back and forth, causing Kahoko to give up in her effort of grabbing it for destruction. Azuma read on the list, pointing and checking every name that came to his liking. "Let's see... Baby..." Kahoko blushed upon hearing this. Not that she liked it, though. It was a little bit awkward if that came out of Tsukimori's own mouth. Yunoki had imagined Len calling Kahoko 'baby' as the rest of the school's population stopped to look at him.

Scratching the pen name off the list, Yunoki quickly scanned the rest of the list. "Certainly not." He scratched a couple of names off the list once more. "How about 'honey'?" If Len were to call Kahoko that, he'd have to give her a good smile to pull it off. "Maybe we'll just let it come to you naturally." Yunoki scratched the whole list off. Len gave him a quick look before he replied with a soft smile. Yunoki could go on but this was really just for his personal entertainment. He didn't feel like the two were quite in it as he was. It was only still morning, after all.

Just as Azuma was settling into the mood of a smooth ride, Len jerked up from his former stance and had his eyes follow something he saw outside the window. His actions alerted Kahoko as well, who soon found out the reason behind this.

With a finger pointing at the distance, Len looked at Azuma. "Are you going to go around the block? We've just passed Seiso..."

"EH?!" Kahoko leaped onto the seat and looked back. Seiso was starting to disappear as the road rose higher in her view. She just knew it! Yunoki couldn't go off without pulling one of his schemes! Grabbing Yunoki's suit, she shakes him up as if he were sleeping. "BRING ME BACK TO SEISO YUNOKI-SENPAI!"

"Now, now, nothing to worry about Kaho-chan." Yunoki reassures her with the same smile he gave Len earlier. "As part of the alumni board, I can excuse you from your regular classes without proper consent. Just remind me to give you your letters before the day ends. You wouldn't be able to retake your missed classes today without it." But Len didn't care. He was trying to barge out of the car with all his might. This was providing Yunoki with entertainment far more than what he bargained for. If Len could chew the door off the car, he would've.

As Len was constantly trying to jerk the door off like a trapped hamster, Kahoko put in her best effort to hit the window with her bag. If you'd think Yunoki would care, you've thought wrong.

"I never should've taken this ride with you!" Kahoko shouted as she hits the window with full force. With a wave of Yunoki's hand, things began to change. Len was near to breaking the door latch when the car sped up twice its previous pace. Len could feel his whole body slam onto the car seat despite his efforts to sit freely. As for Kahoko, the poor girl whined her lungs out as her body went numb. Yunoki, as he is used to this kind of speed, remains calm and poised.

"MAKE THIS DAMN THING STOOOOOOOOP!" Len shouted with all the air that he had left in him. He was holding onto the door for his dear life while Yunoki was sitting at his side like the car wasn't violating any speeding laws. The car went on like it was going through the buildings. Wasn't there supposed to be a stoplight somewhere here and there? Nope. The car didn't see what it sped through.

_*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH*_

Bodies tossed towards the seats in front of them. (Excluding Yunoki, who was still sitting prettily by his side of the car.) The speeding car had finally reached its stop. As soon as the locks clicked loose, Len quickly opened the door and leaned by the post nearby to catch his breath. Unluckily, his quick break soon ended as Yunoki-senpai took him by the arm and dragged him towards the shopping center with Kahoko on his other side.

"A lot of people are here to shop even on a school day, neh?" Yunoki asked his two kouhais who were beside him, still gathering enough energy to recover from what seemed to be a drift drive demonstrated by the driver.

Today, Yunoki plans to boost Kahoko Hino's taste for the finer things in life. She was going to need to learn this one badly. The Tsukimori Clan belonged to the A-List of the music crowd and therefore lived in class and luxury. Knowing what to wear and what to want are prerequisites for every woman who wanted to be part of their prestigious line.

Even though this day was planned for Kahoko only, it wouldn't hurt to take the 'boyfriend' along to help with couple communication, right? Len really needed to improve on that, too. Ever since he and Kahoko met today, he hasn't even muttered a "hello" towards her. If they were to pretend, they should at least be good at talking the talk.

As they finally entered a boutique, Len quickly got loose from Yunoki's clutches and sat on a futon chair nearby while Kahoko dizzily sat beside him. A flock of salesladies gathered around Yunoki-senpai (as expected) to cater to his every need. Len wasn't excused. He had his own group of annoying salesladies flocking around him, pushing Kahoko away unknowingly, asking if they could get anything for him.

Yunoki-senpai caught Kahoko just as he saw her fall. Two salesladies aided her back to her seat as Yunoki spoke to five of them. "We're here to find a few formal dresses that she could wear. Something someone would wear in an exquisite dinner party, perhaps?" He inquired kindly.

"Your girlfriend?" A saleslady asked. Yunoki could only give back a soft smile and looked at Kahoko, still trying to recover from everything that has happened for the past 20 minutes. Kahoko Hino was really just a normal girl. Your typical average high school student with red hair and expressive gold eyes. She's as clumsy as a 2-year old kid and her life revolved around cake shops and tea. She didn't play the violin well but that was just a minor setback. She... she was the type of girl that wasn't welcome in his family.

Looking over at Len who was given water and an aspirin, his heart sank. He knew he couldn't have Kahoko even if he pursued her, partly because his other side wasn't much to her liking. But the other part was the deal breaker. Even if he tried to change for her sake, she still wouldn't choose him. He could fight for her but it wasn't going to happen. She was, after all, in love with the guy beside her swallowing an aspirin. The cold, reserved Len Tsukimori: the violin prodigy. It really wasn't that subtle. Every time she looks at him, there's just this look in her eyes that shows how greatly she feels for him.

As Yunoki looked at Kahoko, he rethought the saleslady's question and gave her the truth. "I could only wish." He muttered as the salesladies exchanged looks at one another. Seeing as though their relationship wasn't their business, they took a quick look at Kahoko before they all scattered to the different parts of the store, ignoring other costumers as they zipped through the racks for a dress that would fit Kahoko best.

Kahoko Hino took a moment to rest her eyes as Len leaned against the pillar that was behind them. Yunoki called the rest of the salesladies surrounding Len and looked over the counter for jewelry, leaving the two alone with just enough room to breathe. With Yunoki attracting all the attention, silence started to venture their way as he went farther with the salesladies.

Kahoko's heart raced, knowing that Len was just beside her. She knew that now wasn't the time to fantasize but her heart involuntarily ran wild. Her lungs seemed to want more air than usual and it wasn't because of what happened earlier. Thoughts of fixing herself and primping filled her mind. She suddenly felt the urge to look good but she knew she had to keep it in. It wasn't right.

She looked to her left and watched the blue-haired man rest with his hand holding a glass of water resting on his lap. Denying her feelings with the man sitting right beside her was different from denying it far from him. Even when tired, Len Tsukimori still managed to look that good resting against a pillar. This was one moment that she only had once before.

He was running away from Amou and bumped into her inside one of the practice rooms. It was only when she left that she realized he was sick. She went back and offered to call the school nurse but he stopped her just before she stood up. Grabbing her hand, Len accidentally pulled her down the floor and caused her to sit beside him. He grew unconscious and rested his head on her shoulder.

It wasn't like Len Tsukimori to ask for help. Help was only implied. You always had to guess. So she stayed, thinking that he needed her at that moment. But then again, he did leave her alone with his coat. If he wanted to stay, he would've. If he wanted to spend time with her, he could've woken her up.

But he didn't.

Kahoko looked away and sighed. _"He didn't like me before, he wouldn't like me now, he wouldn't like me ever,"_ she said to herself as she waited patiently for Yunoki-senpai to return. Up until now, she still had no idea on what she was doing there on a school morning and it was starting to bother her. What does Yunoki-senpai have under his sleeves? The list of sinister plans were endless but all she could do was wait. After all, she wasn't alone. Tsukimori was there. She could wait a little longer.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

For the fifteenth time, Kahoko went out of the cubicle dressed with another one of the many ball gowns that Yunoki-senpai had picked for her. She looked sheepish with the white chiffon dress hanging from her shoulders. The tulle hung from the waist down, creating a round silhouette as it ran all the way to the floor. Kahoko felt like covering herself. She felt like she was revealing too much of her. Especially around the back.

Yunoki-senpai had his legs crossed as he was served tea while Len was pretending to look at something more interesting from afar. He had his fingers on his pale cheeks as he watched other people turn away awkwardly upon seeing him look. Feeling as though he couldn't take the temptation of looking, the blue-haired man closed his eyes and decided to ignore the fact that Kahoko was right in front of him, sporting a wonderful dress that suited her.

Yunoki, sensing that Len wasn't going to speak at all, scanned Kahoko from top to bottom, chuckling a bit on how she kept on covering her shoulders every now and then. "Kahoko-chan, it's alright. I think you look beautiful." He complimented her.

"Y-You always say that, Yunoki-senpai," Kahoko replied, feeling a little more uneasy as she felt a light breeze creep behind her dress. The dress was too light that the thin fabric made it easy for even the softest blow from a lip would get to her spine. Shivering, she took the curtains in her hands and draped it around her. "M-May I c-change into m-my clothes n-now?"

Yunoki-senpai smiled lightly at Kahoko's agony. "We can't really stop trying on dresses until your boyfriend agrees to at least one, right?" He didn't have to say it but the salesladies surrounding them immediately looked at Len. And Len, feeling the pressure from all the attention that he was getting, covered half of his face subtly with a closed hand that once acted as a support for his head, leaning on one of the arm rests.

He could feel the heat rise up to his cheeks but just because he turned red, he managed to gulp it all back to his stomach. _Boyfriend... really? As far as I'm concerned, I was brought here without my consent._ Len thought as he checked his watch. Right now he could've been reciting formulas to the envy of his classmates but instead, he was losing a favorable grade just waiting for Kahoko to try on everything.

"What do you think, Tsukimori-san?" The question that Yunoki-senpai asked him made him look unintentionally. He hadn't noticed that Kahoko had dressed into another gown.

The gown that she was currently in was a ball gown that was too big for her own shoulders to carry. The ballgown was pretty on a petite figure like Kahoko's but it just had too much bows in it, making it heavy for her to bring. And green definitely made her look like a seaweed. Taking the initiative, Len groaned and stood up, making his way towards a nervous Kahoko thinking about what he was going to do to her.

Len rummaged through the mountains of dresses and kicked a few out. He had to end this little trip to the shopping center soon or he'd go mad thinking about what other grade he'd lose. The salesladies took turns in catching the dresses because none of them were paid yet. Selecting only one out of the many, Len handed it over without looking. "I suggest you try this on for your sake." Kahoko blinked. Len waited. He waved the hanger and pinched the bone between his brows. Snapping out of her thoughts, Kahoko took what was being given to her and went inside the cubicle once more, zipping out of the green abomination.

Len sat back beside Azuma, asking for tea from one of the salesladies. He could see Yunoki smiling at him, and he was sure that it was because he finally took part in the activity. If he could only tell this man to keep his happy thoughts to himself, he would've. But he was Azuma Yunoki and he was well-respected, certainly a no-match for Len Tsukimori. He pressed the cup against his lips as he attempted to ignore any further conversation with the purple-haired fellow beside him.

_*clink*_

A minute passed by quickly as Kahoko went out of the cubicle. As if the sound of Len's cup dropping wasn't enough to hint that this would be the dress, Azuma let a compliment pass through the silence.

"I know I've been saying that you look beautiful but this is just different. This is perfect," Yunoki-senpai nodded as he looked at Kahoko. Len hurriedly raced for the cup against two other women and quickly went back to his seat. Yunoki couldn't help but let off a cheerful laugh as he saw Len struggling to regain his posture. The blue-haired man lifted the cup to his mouth as Azuma crossed his arms.

"Don't you think she looks wonderful, Tsukimori-san?" He inquired, making Len open his eyes to what was before him. The red-haired lady looked too shy to look up as Len looked at her. Light pink and flesh had always looked good on her but this particular dress made her waist look well-defined. The dress ran down until the floor and was adorned with crystals scattered around the tulle. The circumference of the petticoat was just right that it made it comfortable for her to move. The dress was sleeveless, therefore showing off her ivory shoulders just well. The matching gloves fit her arms well that she didn't look ordinary at all.

Yunoki-senpai gestured for the two salesladies standing by the curtain to bring in the jewelry. Without having much to do for, Kahoko let them put the necklace around her neck and the earrings dangling from her ears. As they backed off, Kahoko blushed in a deeper shade of red as she saw how Len looked at her. His hand was faintly covering his mouth and his eyes were looking straight at her.

This was the first time she's seen him like that. He was absolutely having his time taking it all in. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but she was shoving away all the positive compliments that she would like to hear.

"Tch..."

An awkward silence filled the area.

_Shit... D-Did I say that out loud? W-Was that m-me?_ Len thought. He looked at Azuma for a confirmation.

Yunoki-senpai blinked at him upon hearing his attempt to speak. His gaze confirmed only one thing: to him, it seemed like Len Tsukimori officially broke.

Red was streaming across his cheeks as he tried to get a hold of himself. It was hopeless to get words out. He took his cup once more, the one that got lose a moment ago, and pressed it against his lips. Getting tired of all the nonsense, Yunoki-senpai shook his head and took Len Tsukimori to his downfall.

"What's the use of drinking from an empty cup, Tsukimori-san? A compliment would be nice for a change." He said as Len froze beside him, nearly breaking the teacup in his hand. All his life, he was used to receiving the compliments rather than giving them away. What was he supposed to say? And what the hell did Azuma do that for?!

Gently putting the cup down and refusing to take a step down from his proud self, Len propped an elbow on the armrest and rested his head atop his hand. "I-It's good..." He looked away. Kahoko felt relieved as Yunoki-senpai smiled at her, gesturing her to change back to her uniform. Finally, the dressing up was over.

She went inside the cubicle to change and closed the curtains separating her from the outside. Turning around, she saw herself. This dress that she had on was totally better than the last one but most importantly... this was the dress that made Tsukimori-kun blush.

She reached for the zipper at the back and hesitated to pull it down. She took one good look at herself before sitting down at an available chair. If she could only look this good everyday to make Tsukimori look at her like that every time he saw her. That was definitely the first time she saw that look from him.

His eyes seemed to search for words that he's never used before and his body was completely frozen. He said that it was good but he didn't need to say anything. The way that his cheeks turned red was already enough to compliment her. She felt her cheeks heat up on their own as she played with the gown's tulle.

"Hino-san, we're going to wait for you at the counter with the dress." Yunoki-senpai announced from the outside. Hino jumped from her seat, frantically reaching for the zipper on her back and gave a quick answer back. "H-Hai!"

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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_I'VE REACHED CHAPTER 5 AND I KNOW IT ISN'T A BIG DEAL FOR WRITERS BUT THIS IS AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR ME SO BE PROUD OF ME T.T_

_._

_I want to take this moment to thank the encouragement I've received from Hercolanium *sniff* thank you *sniff*_

_and also..._

_To Moonlight Nocturne in correcting my wayward manners towards Yunoki-senpai. Forgive me T.T_

_._

**PLEASE REVIEW :3 Knowing what you think of it so far would help me improve/encourage me in going on :o So... WRITE A REVIEW AND SAY HELLO :D**


	6. 6: No Stranger At All

_I take forever to update because my heart is torn in between two separate ships right now for Kaho T.T That and I found writing one-shots amusing and easier._

_Not to worry, here it is! Chapter 6, done and done for you kind people :) **Thank you so much for your reviews, they're much appreciated.** I reread them whenever I find myself falling back a bit_

**_CHAPTER 6 :D_**

* * *

Well-manicured nails twirled the end of cherry hair as spiteful gray orbs looked around the room. She was told to wait patiently in a greenhouse surrounded by lovely flowers, specially taken care of the great Misa Hamai's graceful hands. She grabbed hold of the cup of tea served in front of her and tipped it lightly against her lips, allowing just an ample amount of the refreshment to enter her mouth. She sat prettily among all nature, her delicate figure framed beautifully by the light ray of sunshine beaming down the glass dome.

Tomo-kun gracefully bowed as he made his presence acknowledged. "The master of the house requests you up in the receiving room, young miss." He gestured to the door on his left, a carefully folded towel hung on his right arm. "Allow me to escort you upstairs."

Fixing her uniform, she quietly alighted from her seat and made her way out of the glass dome. Without giving anything as much as a smile of acknowledgment, her black shoes tapped against the marble flooring as she walked passed Tomo-kun. He quickly followed behind her, carefully assessing the aura she gave off. She was rather cold for a woman and her walk told him that she has been taught the right manners. She's been brought up good, although her silence and cool vibe were indicating that she lacked heart.

His gut wrenched. He wondered what his young master would think of her when they finally meet.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Len watched as Kahoko went through jewelries with Azuma Yunoki. He said it was probably necessary for her to know a little about the things she'd be wearing. Len really had no other choice but to tag along at this point. He's missed a whole day of school just shopping for Kahoko's shoes and clothes, care of the lavender-haired man in front of him.

Being the observant guy that he was, Len stood in the middle of the room carefully assessing Kahoko as she discussed jewelry with Yunoki and the clerks. Her golden eyes grew big every time she was faced with expensive gems. It wasn't the greedy kind. She was genuinely amused at how small things acquired so much value. The smile she had every time Yunoki-senpai would tell her facts about the gems was the same smile she'd give off every time she liked hearing things. That smile of hers was enough to make him tousle his blue hair around in the attempt of erasing its memory. It was going to buy him off another night of sleep if he took the memory home with him.

Standing still in the middle of the shop, he reassessed himself. He didn't want to be too involved with her. She was good as an acquaintance… as a friend and nothing more. As Kahoko went from case to case, carefully listening to Yunoki-senpai's story on diamonds and Africa, he caught himself wanting to be a part of it but resisted. If there was one thing he knew about love (as the annoying topic that it was to him), it was that it always starts with giving in to anything concerning the other. Len Tsukimori fixed his tie and stood his ground. He wasn't about to fall for the same trap his friends fell into. No, not him. Anyone but him.

All he needed to do was to get through tomorrow evening's dinner and stop this pretend game, never having to repeat it again.

"Len, look! Don't you think they look absolutely stunning?!" Kahoko showed him the sapphire case with excitement. Beside her was Yunoki-senpai, the smile forever sticking to its place, intimidating him. With a grunt, he fixed his tie for the nth time today and swayed around to face the other direction. Without much of a response, Len walked out of the shop earning looks from both Kahoko and Azuma.

Yunoki-senpai chuckled, giving Kahoko a feeling of relief. "My, my, ever the stubborn man," he commented just before turning back around to view more gems. However, Kahoko's eyes were fixed at the blue-haired man waiting outside by the lamppost, worried at what thoughts filled his mind as his eyes remained closed. "Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine, Kaho-chan…" Yunoki-senpai once again comforted her, presenting her with another set of expensive rocks. Kahoko turned back around and placed her attention on the bright gems laid in front of her as Yunoki-senpai lectured her on cutting.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

_Finally_, he puffed under his breath. Yunoki-senpai's car just drove off the horizon. He looked up at the house in front of him. He was finally in front of the great black Victorian gate that he had become accustomed to. He couldn't really call the vast property behind it home. But it was where he lived. The gate creaked as he pushed it open, the sound echoing around the four corners of the estate.

Closing the gate behind him with a weak hand, he slowly walked towards the grand doors with his head down. Leaves and twigs scattered on the ground snapped under his every step. For a family with a lot of servants, their place didn't seem like it was taken care of. The rose bushes under the windows took care of themselves just as how the vines crept up and built their own path. The hedges weren't trimmed and the trees stretched their arms wherever they pleased. But none of these things seemed to bother him.

The blue-haired man took his first step inside the dull walls of the mansion. He could hear his father playing Richard Strauss' _Metamorphosen _on his violin. The sad sound that strongly vibrated out of the violin's body divided itself among the walls of the house, making sure it pierces through everyone's soul. Right behind the entryway was Tomo-san, waiting for him like how he always did; smiling as if he were unaffected by his master's playing.

"Welcome home, young master," Tomo-san whispered as he grabbed the bags Len was holding. "You went shopping, sire?" He asked as his young master dragged himself into the kitchen. Seeing as though he was obliged to serve and not to ask, Tomo-san placed the bags down beside the stairwell and made his way behind the counter. He pulled out a red mug and started heating up a kettle of warm water. Opening a cupboard, Tomo-san picked out a sachet of chocolate mix. Len had always loved drinking hot chocolate during evenings when he felt tired. Tomo-san knew what he had to do without being told.

Len slumped his elbows on the marble counter and propped his head on a hand. He had a troubled expression plastered on his face. Tomo-san noted his eyes as upset, not drowsy. He's been beside Len for too long to know the difference. He could tell that something was wrong. Thinking his young master needed the company, he initiated the conversation while waiting for the water to boil. "The girl was here earlier," Tomo-san continued as he emptied the sachet's contents into the mug. "She looked decent enough. Respectable… Although I wouldn't really call her "suitable" for you just as how your mother would put it."

Len looked at Tomo-san, clearly interested at what happened while he was being forced to go around the shopping center by Yunoki-senpai all day. Tomo-san took a glass from under the counter and set it on top before opening a small shot of vodka. "Her family was well-respected and her musical gift is recognized by many. From what I've heard, she came from Seiso Academy as well." He poured the shot onto the glass and set his arms on the counter. "But she's very cold."

Len puffed and fixed his posture, regaining the pride he once had before today. Hearing about what the girl had to offer was impressive but Tomo-san lost him the moment he mentioned that the girl went to Seiso, too. A person with a recognizable gift wouldn't have passed him easily, since they'd naturally be placed at the music department along with him. This would mean that the girl knew about this and was with him all this time, leaving him the only one with the "benefit" of the doubt, if it were to be profitable to him at any point.

"Not much you'd expect from someone from the Tsugawa clan," Tomo-san continued. As he poured hot water poured into the mug, Len took the time to type an SMS for Yunoki-senpai. If there was anyone else more informed about the students of Seiso, it would be him. As the former student body president, Yunoki-senpai has earned the hearts of many in the academy. He didn't just know everyone by name but also by their background. The amount of information this guy knows about everyone is scary. Sometimes Len thought of how much he really knew about him.

_'Senpai,'_ he started, his fingers tapping quickly on the numbers,_ 'do you know anyone in Seiso named Tsugawa?'_

Sent. Tomo-san served him his hot chocolate and continued to arrange éclairs on a plate. Sipping from his mug, Len waited anxiously for his senpai's reply. He wasn't sure why but he was anticipating it. Somehow having an idea of who the girl was would give him an advantage. If he knew who she was, he'd know who to avoid. But then again, he'd love a good mystery. Maybe waiting for tomorrow evening to meet her wouldn't be so bad.

"Would this be enough, sire?" Tomo-san asked, slightly lifting the plate up for the counter for Len to see. Len glanced at the plate and felt his stomach growl. To think that Yunoki-senpai could've treated them out to dinner, too. "That and throw in a sandwich," he answered. Tomo-san took out a loaf of bread he freshly baked this morning and sliced four squares off of it.

As he watched Tomo-san prepare his sandwich, carefully noting just how much more green stuff he puts in there rather than actual meat, his phone caught his attention as it vibrated on the marble countertop. Yunoki-senpai had replied. He flung it open and taped the home button to read the message.

_'If I remember correctly, there would only be one Tsugawa student in Seiso. Mai Tsugawa. She made herself quite known to me during my days in the academy that if there were any other students named Tsugawa, they would've been undermined by the memory of her. I hope that helped.'_

Len cut the message off there and looked up as Tomo-san served him his snack. "Mai… Tsugawa?" He thought out loud, trying to recall where he's encountered the name before. Thinking he was being talked to, Tomo-san nodded and smiled upon hearing the name. "Yes. That's her. Mai Tsugawa. She had pink hair and sharp gray eyes. She made quite an impression."

_Holy…_ Len swore that he was in a nightmare right now. The only thing worse than getting married to a complete stranger was getting married to someone you did know and actually hate. Mai Tsugawa was one of Yunoki-senpai's headstrong bodyguards and the president of the Azuma Yunoki fan club. She was in the same year as Len and she was known to have a spiteful eye for people whom she thought were lower than she was. All that and she absolutely loathes Kahoko.

Len intentionally pounded his head against the hard marble countertop in front of him. He had to wake up from this nightmare. He had to wake up soon.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

* * *

_I was thinking of creating an OC just to pair with Len but the original story already had a character to fill in the position. I was also too lazy to create an OC XD_

_._

_For those of you who don't know/are too lazy to Google it,__** Mai Tsugawa is one Yunoki-senpai's "bodyguards"**__ that bullied Shouko during the first few episodes in the series. She's always in the middle of the trio so I assume she's leading the group XD_

_._

_**Reviews please :3**__ I need to know what you think about it so far... and... and... I like feedbacks? -_o_

_._


	7. 7: The Dinner Starts

_I give to you... CHAPTER 7! *dances with kiat-kiats on her hands (small oranges)*_

_Are you guys still with me? Well I hope you are! Before you start reading this fic, I advise that you** listen to Jack Martello's version of One and Only in YouTube!** You'll need it for referencing. You wouldn't get the part where I used it unless you have it played while you read :D_

**_Type in YouTube's URL, add a (/) and then copy paste this: watch?v=Ebsbx5c7uWM_**

_**On with what you came here for then! Chapter 7, minna-san!**_

* * *

After going through hell during his morning subjects, Len Tsukimori took the afternoon to just lay back with Tsuchiura and Sasaki. Skipping his classes yesterday earned him a couple more pages to work on for each subject, therefore resulting to a deduction in his practice time for the gala. You'd think Yunoki-senpai would try to hand over that alumni request he was talking about early today to spare him the extra loads of homework that was yet to come his way.

"Say, Tsukimori… Where were you and Hino yesterday?" The green-haired man sitting across him asked as he chewed his way into his rice ball. Len raised a brow at him as he took a minute to ask himself how Tsuchiura knew. "Manami said you were absent yesterday. Hino wasn't around yesterday, either." Ryou continued as he started eating yet another rice ball. Seriously, Len didn't take Manami to be the type to fall for such a brute. He was chewing down his rice ball like he hadn't eaten for weeks.

"It's none of your business," Len replied as he drank his afternoon tea. Tsuchiura swore Len incapable of holding a conversation with other human beings. Every time they've talked, he'd always end it with that line. Sasaki, watching the tension grow in front of him, started a new conversation to clear the air before it got worse. "Neh, Tsuchiura-san, don't you think Tsukimori-san really deserved first place during the final performance?" Tsuchiura grunted as he started on the sandwiches that Manami had prepared for him. He wasn't in the mood to answer.

"I think Tsukimori-san and Hino go well with each other." Sasaki started. Len's cheeks flushed as Sasaki pondered for a moment, chewing on his lunch. "Say, aren't you two a couple? At least that's what I've heard from Nami-chan." He looked at Len, who was now looking away. "You two seem perfect for each other. Is it true? Are you together?" Sasaki inquired bluntly. Len covered his mouth and turned away from the two, trying to hold the heat from coming to his cheeks. Sasaki couldn't help but laugh at the damage he's done on the music student. Len surely wasn't the type of man you'd see trying to hide his feelings out in the open.

As if by pure coincidence, Kahoko Hino happened to pass by their area. Seeing Tsukimori with Tsuchiura and Sasaki wasn't something you'd see every day. They weren't really the best of friends. Their personalities don't really complement each other that way.

"Eh? Tsukimori-kun?" Len jumped as he heard his name. Tsuchiura's had the best laugh out of it yet. Len crouched and clamped his face in his hand tighter than earlier. He looked away and tried to avoid her stare. "Are you okay?" She asked, reaching out an arm to comfort him with. He quickly froze under her hold. They stayed that way for a good three seconds. Silence filled the place before Tsuchiura banged his fists on the table as he burst into a roaring chuckle.

Len quickly left his seat, hesitating at first but went along with it anyway, and ran towards the building for safety. He swore he'd get back at Tsuchiura for this. Ryotaro still had much he owed him.

Kahoko stepped back, watching Len's figure as he ran away. "D-Did I do something wrong, Tsuchiura-kun?" She asked as Ryou's eyes started tearing up. "No. It's just him." Tsuchiura managed to answer back in between snickers.

Yet another sun started to set upon Seiso. It was a fine Wednesday afternoon, too fine to spend at home. Kahoko went to that new coffee shop she was talking about a day before with Mio and Nao. She took it upon herself to pay for the food. Not going to school yesterday earned her a lot of extra load to finish but she did save up a day's allowance. Besides, Mio and Nao deserved to be treated after all the times they helped her catch up in class.

While waiting for their cakes to be served, Nao smiled evilly as she placed an arm on the table and leaned over Kahoko. "So…" she grinned, "I heard you and Tsukimori-kun were engaged now."

Kahoko blushed, not knowing what to say. Nao had always been this straightforward. That was normal. What she made her blush was the fact that Len-kun was mercilessly paired with her and the word "engaged" didn't help either. They weren't engaged. They were just pretending to be together to avoid an unwanted engagement he had with someone else.

Kahoko played with her hands, anxiously looking down at her fingers as they struggled to stay on top of each other. She had to give Nao an answer or she'd assume she was right. "W-we're not engaged. We're just pretending to be together." But god, did she want to be. If only Len felt the same way.

"Honestly? I think you'd make a great couple!" Mio said, clasping her hands together as she created a dreamy image in her mind. "It's just like in those TV series where the cool, cold guy opens up to the cheery, average girl and ends up falling in love with her!" She swayed back and forth, controlling her urge to _fangirl_ in public. "Cool, mysterious guys like Tsukimori-kun love the sweetest you know."

Nao held a finger up in detest. "But they're also the ones that get jealous over the shallowest things." Kahoko cringed. Tsukimori-kun, jealous? She'd never see the day! She knew that he was self-conceited, too self-absorbed that he wouldn't have the time of day to compare himself to other people. The guy had everything in the world. And besides, what reason would he have to get jealous over someone just because of her?

After that being said, Mio stood up beside her, not being able to resist the chill she felt run up her spine as she pictured her friend with one of the most sought-after men in Seiso. "He's just so dreamy! Have you ever imagined the sticky situations you could get into?!"

"Sticky?" Kahoko inquired, her cheeks flushed with what she heard. Sticky didn't sound appropriate for anything decent.

Mio nodded and got lost once more in her own thoughts. "Rich men like Tsukimori-kun are never out of surprises! They can stir up romance anywhere! They have this gut for excitement and thirst for rebellion…" Mio squirmed, causing the other customers to look their way. "Mou, Mio-chaaaan…" Kahoko waved her hand and politely asked her to sit down. "It's not like that. It's never going to be like that. We don't like each other."

"You may not like each other but you _do_ like him, Kaho." Nao looked at her straightforwardly. Kahoko flushed. She knew lying to Nao would be pointless. They were her best friends. She wouldn't be able to survive a decent hour without them finding the truth out for themselves. They knew her too much to even believe the slightest lie.

Mio, seeing that her friend looked discouraged, pounded a fist on her hand. "That's it!" Grabbing Kahoko's hand from the opposite side of the table, she stared at her with a unique sparkle shining in her eyes. "We'll do everything we can to help you through this, Kaho-chan! Your love will not be left unrequited!" Nao nodded as she agreed to what their friend had said. "I agree completely. We'll support you all the way as you fight for your forbidden love."

_Forbidden is not exactly how I'd put it_, Kahoko sweat-dropped. Her friends were getting excited over things they'd be better off ignoring.

Kahoko had spotted the cakes on their way to the table but it wasn't the first thing she noticed. Right behind the maid was Hihara-senpai with his hair tied up in a half pony. He looked like he had a good run on the way to the place; his sweat was making blots on his collar. His eyes were locked at Hino, although his face seemed worried. "Hino-chan!" He called out, causing Nao and Mio to look around to see him.

He carefully squeezed himself beside the maid, cautiously avoiding the tray she was holding. He walked up ahead to their table and took Hino's wrist. He pulled her up, only to have her hesitate. He was in a hurry and he needed Hino right away. Grabbing her wrist for the second time, Kazuki made sure he pulled her far enough from her chair.

"W-Wha-" Hino stammered as she pulled back. "Hold on! What are you doing, senpai?" She asked, trying to cope up with what was happening between them. Kazuki turned around to face her, his expression more worried than ever. Moreover, he seemed impatient.

"Have you forgotten?" He asked anxiously. Hino blinked twice. Kazuki threw his hands up in disbelief. She was completely clueless. "Tsukimori-kun's dinner is tonight." He reminded her with the same worry evident in his voice as before.

Kahoko's eyes grew wide in terror. Tonight _was_ the night she was supposed to dress all pretty and here she was having coffee and cake with her best friends, nothing fresher than how she left school earlier. She panicked as she rummaged through her bag and retrieve her phone. "EH?! 26 MISSED CALLS FROM T-T-TSUKIMORI-KUN?!"

"Nao! It's starting! He's become clingy!" Mio swooned, her thoughts centered on the fantasy she has created. She grabbed hold of Nao's hand and grinned wildly, tears forming in her eyes as the other shared her joy. "He's fallen, Nao!" Nao wildly nodded in agreement.

"This is serious, you guys!" Kahoko shouted to tame her two best friends. Mio sprung up her seat and held Kahoko's hand once more. "We know, Kaho-chan! We know!" Nao stood up and held her fist in the air. "Ganbatte, Kahoko!"

Her friends were too preoccupied with their own little fantasy that explaining the situation to them now would be pointless. What was important now was that even though she'd have to leave, she wouldn't feel bad as they were being supportive of her "engagement" with Tsukimori. As Kazuki took her away from her friends, Mio and Nao bid her a tearful goodbye.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

At the Tsukimori Residence, it was hard to say that Len Tsukimori was keeping it together well. His room looked like it was run down by a mower. He held his phone in his hand and redialed Kahoko Hino's number. As the loading circles spun while the server processed the line, Len jogged in place. It was weird that he was doing this and he was aware of that. It's just that he had to let the stress off with something less violent than punching his pillows. His bed covers were ruffled and numerous articles of clothing were scattered over it. His pillows had fist marks that he himself had inflicted upon the soft cushions out of stress.

_Come on, Hino…_ He pleaded silently to himself as he threw himself to the wall. If he showed up without her to this dinner, the deal would be sealed for sure. The image of tying the knot with Mai Tsugawa was enough to have him feel sick. He literally felt like passing out when Hino finally picked up.

"T-Tsukimori-kun?" she nervously spoke.

Len could feel a rock blocking out his voice as he shouted. "Where the hell are you?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" she stuttered. He swore he could see her bowing on the other line.

"I don't need that right now! Where are you?!" He was getting impatient. His hand ruffled through his blue hair as he waited for her reply.

Just then, a familiar calm voice took over the line. "Calm down, Tsukimori-san. We're here at Mori-san's place, getting her ready. Come by and pick her up in ten minutes… and be ready to fall on your knees." Damn it. Yunoki-senpai…

He didn't have ten minutes but there was really nothing he could do about it for Yunoki-senpai had already cut the line. Len bit his lip hard as he controlled himself. Throwing his phone on the bed, he took another pillow and shook it in the air. He was really acting weird but he swore this was all because he felt angry and nervous at the same time. Ten minutes would totally kill him.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Manami Mori's room was definitely bigger than her house. A glass chandelier hung right in the middle of the room. As she recalled the gem lessons she had with Yunoki-senpai yesterday, the way that the light sharply shone through the glass told her that the pieces dangling from the curves were real diamonds. Everything inside the room seemed to blur into softer tones under the bright orange light. The floor was fully carpeted and the area was enough to house one king-sized bed with a canopy along with a small receiving area and a corner for drinking tea. To feel like royalty always came with anyone who entered the room. Right at the vanity area sat a fiery-haired girl surrounded by her friends as they fixed her up.

Manami took a step back and grinned, a cosmetic brush in her hand. Ryotaro slipped his arms around her waist and gave her a light peck on the cheeks. "You've outdid yourself, Manami. She looks stunning." Manami frowned at what he said and pouted. "Mou, what am I then?" Her boyfriend's chest shook against her back as he laughed. "You're divine, of course."

"Oh shush, you two!" Nami said as she waved her hand at Kahoko to catch her attention, a camera against her eye on the ready. "Relax, Kaho-chan. You look absolutely perfect." Kahoko looked at her with her golden orbs shining before the camera's lens. "Perfect." Nami clicked. Kahoko blinked the camera flash's aftermath away. Junosuke smirked as Nami gave him her camera.

Kahoko was practically surrounded by couples. The girls helped her get prepped up for this night as their ever supportive boyfriends tagged along to cheer them on and give their manly insights. For a second there, she felt lonely. When was she going to find someone as sweet as how Tsuchiura-kun was with Mori-san… someone as supportive as Sasaki-kun, or maybe someone as caring as Yunoki-senpai? Someone that would make her happy like how Hihara-senpai made Miyabi-chan laugh would be good as well. And she could really use someone like Shimizu-kun to keep her calm right now.

Kahoko was interrupted from her own thoughts as she felt Ayano-san slip her foot into a slipper. She flustered upon seeing the pair of heels. They were glass slippers and they looked like they cost a fortune. "It's a good thing we have the same size, Kaho-chan!" Mori beamed right at her as she started hanging her gowns up with Shouko and Keiichi's help.

"A-All this for a dinner? Can't I wear something less fragile?" Ayano stepped back as Kahoko stood up, testing whether the glass could handle her weight. She didn't seem like it but she actually weighed more than she looked. She knew she'd eaten a lot of sweets and that affected her weight greatly. "Or something less expensive…"

"Relax, would you?" Tsuchiura said as he folded the shawls scattered on the couch, Manami sitting beside him as she tucked an ankle behind the other. "It's not going to break. Believe me, I eat like a monster and it could handle me. You're just nervous about what Tsukimori would think about it." She said, giggling in delight at the result of their rush makeover.

"That's true. I can barely carry her on my back now. If those heels could carry her, they could certainly carry you." Tsuchiura joked, earning him a light punch on the arm, care of his beautiful girlfriend. "Don't worry. I know for certain that Tsukimori-san would love your look. You're just beaming with sophistication right now." Amou comforted her friend as she clutched onto Sasaki's arm, scanning her photos for a site-worthy shot.

A high-pitched ring disrupted the playful atmosphere. Yunoki-senpai checked his phone to check who it was. Just before Yunoki-senpai could open his mouth to inform everyone of the message, one of Mori's servants knocked lightly on the door and peeked. "Young miss, a Len Tsukimori is waiting at the foyer for a Kahoko Hino." Manami stood up and dismissed the servant with a friendly wave. "Tell him we'll be down in a while. Lead him to the living area and serve him tea."

"We've offered him refreshments but he declined coldly," the servant said as she bowed. Everyone in the room sweat-dropped. It was typical of Tsukimori. Manami looked at the servant with a kind smile before sarcastically giving her command. "Shove a tray of biscuits down his throat. What a rude bastard." She shook her head as she turned around to look at Kahoko, who was now stiff as a stick. All eyes fell on her, making her cheeks glow a bright red.

"It's time, Kaho-senpai…" Shimizu called out in the silence. As Kahoko looked up, she saw the comforting smiles of her friends.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Len stood alone in the foyer, his well-built body suited in a crisp black tuxedo he had kept hidden at the end of his long line of white clothing. His golden orbs looked around for a sign of human life form breathing about, only to find out that he had been alone for quite some time now. The foyer was brimmed by a massive crystal chandelier with its fair light, one thing that might kill him if ever an earthquake ran down the city at that very moment.

Len took a few steps farther from the center of the room as his eyes caught sight of a golden-framed mirror. He took a minute to look at himself, carefully examining his suit from shoulders down. With his hands grabbing the ends of his coat, he tugged them lightly to have it straightened, hoping it would look freshly pressed. He wanted to look presentable enough for later. He certainly didn't want his parents to think that he wasn't properly taken care of by his girlfriend.

Speaking of which, where the bloody hell was she?

As if they knew just when he'd go mad, his friends went down from the right wing, cautiously trying to hide the person last to step down. Forming a line on the level separating the small stairways from the grand staircase, his friends watched him as his eyes grew big in astonishment. For a moment there, he had the slightest impression that his friends were trying to deceive him by getting someone more suitable to play the part but the woman's innocent yellow eyes said otherwise.

Kahoko graced the room with beauty as she slowly descended the carpeted stairs, lightly setting her foot on each step as to make sure the glass slippers won't break. Her eyes were focused on her feet, not aware of the young man's steady gaze on her. She wasn't wearing the flesh dress he'd thought looked perfect on her. Tonight, she wore one of Mori's unused dresses – a light blue chiffon dress held up by two laces tied together at her nape. A belt made out of light sheer fabric hugged her waist, separating the silk bodice from her chiffon skirt that settled right above her knee. Her jewelry was ought to be borrowed from Mori-san as well. A light white gold tennis bracelet rested around her wrist, a thing that he noticed as he watched her hand touch the end of the railing.

Her fiery red hair was held up on a high chignon bun, her bangs swirling down her face. Len swore he couldn't quite make out what he was feeling as she slowly went down the grand staircase. She was a site to behold. She walked down at the middle, still slowly trying to make her way to him. Her heels were giving her a hard time. It was obvious that she wasn't used to them. It would really help her if he walked up and aided her down, she thought.

Len kept his feet glued onto the marble floor as he looked away. He had to resist looking at her if didn't want to hear what his friends would have to say about his "feelings". They were watching him like they were waiting for something to grow out of his head. More importantly, Nami Amou was among them. He can risk looking at her if it meant that he'd stay out of tomorrow's Seiso News.

Kahoko released a sigh of relief as her foot set on the marble floor. She was finally down on safe ground. The night hasn't even started and already her feet had begun to ache. Realizing that she was already in the presence of the blue-haired man in front of her, she straightened her back and tried to act like she's been bred to be a princess. Her lips curved up into a smile and bowed down as a sign of respect towards Tsukimori.

Len bowed back, his friends still watching upon them meeting each other. Letting out a voice he thought only Kahoko and he could hear, he whispered. "First of all, a lady curtsies." Kahoko felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. She quickly corrected her mistake, curtsying herself off balance. Len swiftly grabbed her arm and saved her from hitting the floor. Their supportive friends gasped at the event as Nami clicked away. She was like the mother of a 16-year-old going to prom. You'd think she's doing this for documentation purposes but all of this is really going to be a material made for your destruction.

"You don't have to wear those heels, Hino-san." Len said as Kahoko tried to steady herself once more. She swayed her head upon hearing his statement and quickly regained her posture. "I'm fine! They need a little getting used to but that shouldn't take more than two minutes, right?"

Taking what she said literally, Len pulled back his sleeve a little enough to reveal his watch. They were seriously late and this was against the manners that Tomo-san had taught him. "Sadly, we don't have two minutes. We have nothing, actually." He looked at her sharply, jaws locked in place after he spoke. His stern look made her anxious and made the rest of the group slap their hands on their foreheads.

"He has a serious lack of social skills," Tsuchiura complained, arms crossed against his chest like a disappointed father. Kazuki scratched his cheek with a finger and worried. "I wonder how they're going to survive the night acting like this."

Azuma laughed a bit, taking his hand up to his chin with utmost grace. "Oh my. I do hope they get by smoothly." Keiichi nodded, holding Fuyuumi-chan's hand to pull her closer for a whisper. "I think Tsukimori-kun doesn't even know what he's doing."

Tsukimori darted Keiichi as Kahoko made her way out of the foyer after waving at them. Just because the room was big doesn't mean he wouldn't hear them at all. The acoustics in the room made their voices bounce off the walls, reaching his ear almost right after they've said their comments. Keiichi's soft voice wasn't exempted from the room's remarkable feature. Deciding to let him off just this once, Len turned his back on his friends and gave a slight wave goodbye.

The servants closed the door, finally separating them from the couple. They all gave a heavy sigh of relief the moment the locks were turned. Their job here was done. With friendly smiles, they nodded at each other. All they had to do now was go home and wait for tomorrow.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

He was rich, she already knew that. But as she tried to straighten her skirt inside the white limousine, she found herself trying to figure out just how much two musicians can provide for themselves. Len stayed ensconced in his side of the cushion, looking distantly ahead of the car. If he stayed quiet for any longer, Kahoko swore she'd lose her mind. The silence was almost deafening if it wasn't for the sound of the wheels zipping through the pavement. She had to think of a topic to start a conversation with.

"Is this a rental?" She fidgeted as she asked, earning a cold look from the blue-haired lad across the couch. He looked at her with his brows crossing slowly, as if he were insulted by his question. That he was though. "Does it look like I can't afford this?"

_Well, technically it isn't yours_, Kahoko thought, deciding to keep that to herself. His gaze stayed on her for a while. It was best to look at the floor. Tomo-san, who was driving in front, swayed his head at what he was seeing. If his young master was going to be this harsh towards the young Hino, then he had to move in and make sure that this would subtle down just before they arrived at the venue. His gloved hand moved its way from the clutch to the disc pile. Selecting a gold disc, Tomo-san inserted it in the player allowing the music to play around the vehicle.

The guitar intro quickly got Kahoko's attention away from the tension that was building up between them. She knew this song and she liked it a lot, especially this version where Jack Martello sang. It was almost comforting that she heard it at this moment when she felt most uneasy. Tapping her fingers on her lap, she waited for the guy to sing.

The last note dropped and she got herself prepared for Martello's smooth voice to soothe her when another voice started to have itself heard. She turned her head towards the oblivious blue-haired man. He was singing his heart out like she wasn't even there.

**_You've been on my mind_**

**_I grow fonder every day,_**

**_Lose myself in time_**

**_Just thinking of your face_**

Kahoko felt herself shiver. He got the notes right and his voice was just airy enough to sound cold and soothing at the same time. Who knew he could sing?

**_God only knows_**

**_Why it's taken me so long_**

**_To let my doubts go_**

**_You're the only one that I want_**

_Oh god,_ she thought. This was like a dream. She had to be pinched out of it. The man of her dreams, right across the car, singing her a song that she liked. He closed his eyes as he bopped his head to the slow beat, feeling the drop as it went. Kahoko stared in awe, her body freezing under the shock. As if suddenly, she felt her thoughts shift into something else.

**_I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before_**

**_Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,_**

_I-I…_ She hesitated to talk even in her thoughts. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest just wanting to burst in emotion. She felt scared. She felt confused. No, she felt broken and nothing has even started yet. How she wished the song would be sung in such emotion just because it was how he felt for her.

**_You never know if you never try_**

**_To forgive your past and simply be mine_**

Thoughts of the other night came back to her when she'd created this mantra to avoid Len. He didn't like her before, he wouldn't like her now, and he wouldn't like her ever. She made it known to herself that she was rejected in three tenses to eliminate the possibility of ever feeling hope. This song was making her doubt her methods, starting with the mantra. As Len sung, her heart sunk. Realization after realization dawned upon her, all within a few short seconds.

She found herself talking to him at the back of her mind, along with the other things she wished she'd had the guts to make happen.

**_I dare you to let me be your, your one and only_**

_I do…_

**_Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms_**

_You are…_

**_So come on and give me the chance_**

_I will…_

**_To prove that I'm the one who can_**

**_Walk that mile until the end starts_**

Would he ever feel that way about her? Was it possible that maybe he was holding back because of reasons she'll never come to know? What if after tonight, he'd feel that little extra beat for her? Maybe if she acted right, he'd remember her after this. How many unforgettable moments have sprung out of formal dinners, anyway?

_No Kaho… Stop! Stop… You're not good enough. You're going to this dinner as an accessory. A prop, nothing else._

Her heart skipped a beat as the car stopped just when he was about to sing the next part. Reality kicked back in and pulled her right back to her insecurity. He was cold, invulnerable, and too high for her to reach. What the hell was she talking to herself for? A song's a song. Just because it was played and sung at a semi-perfect moment doesn't mean anything. She went down from that cloud quickly just as how fast she rode on it.

Tomo-san had gotten out of his seat to open the door for them. Len looked at the restaurant in all its exclusivity. Inside were his parents dining with the Tsugawas, waiting for his arrival. Kahoko was currently feeling anxious beside him. He forgot about that bit.

"I hope you'll act your part well. If this fails you'd owe me your life and we both know that isn't much. So listen closely," he started, Kahoko completely ignoring his harsh insult. "You're going to talk to me like we've been together for three years and we're going to act all soft like Mori-san and her boyfriend." He addressed Tsuchiura with the same tone he had in his voice when they first met.

Tomo-san opened the door and Tsukimori went out of the back carrying his dignity. He exhaled heavily before turning around to aid Kahoko. With a smile curving up his lips, he extended his hand that she gladly took. She swore the smile looked so out of place and unnatural.

She stood by him as Tomo-san closed the door. Breathing as much air her little lungs could take, she took in the life of the rich and famous. With one glance, she knew that she didn't belong. If she lived the life of another, she would've liked the place.

"Let's go?" He smiled down at her, intertwining his fingers with hers. The feeling of having her hand tackled with his was glorious. A smile curved up her lips naturally as she clasped his palm tightly, cherishing the little blessing that came out of this misfortune. They walked up the steps together, both flashing a smile worth taking. Kahoko felt happy, happier than she'd ever been. She just couldn't let that out too much to scare him off. The man on the door greeted them in French and Tsukimori greeted him back in the same language.

"I knew you could speak German but you speak French, too?" She asked him. His eyes scanned the room at the other side of the waterfall display sandwiched in glass as he casually answered her. "You just get the hang of learning new things when you meet all sorts of people." Not wanting to look too lost, they headed for the podium where they were once again greeted in French by a dignified man in a vest.

Len let go of her hand by the reception and signed his name. Kahoko looked around and there were three things she's imposed upon herself. The gilded interior made it clear that she wouldn't be able to afford to eat in such a place even if she had five jobs and won a million yen from a contest. The people conversing at each other with light laughter and confidence were certainly not her crowd. The live jazz band playing for the crowd seemed to be more of her class and she felt belittled. She was poor, out of place, and lucky to even be here.

She felt a slight shock as Len took her hand into his again, tugging at her lightly as they started walking in. He followed the directions the host gave him as Kahoko trailed from behind him, holding his hand tightly as if she was afraid to get lost in such a small room.

As they approached the table, Len saw the astonishment in his father's eyes. He could already make out a scene in his mind where he'd be given a sermon after this night but if it meant getting out of this sticky situation then he'd gut it in. His mother seemed less surprised as she welcomed them with a warm smile. Len bowed down quickly at their guests, the family was mostly flabbergasted than just surprised.

Before anything else, Len had taken Kahoko beside him and presented her to the table with pride. "I'm sorry we're late. She took longer than expected." Kahoko looked around the table, seeing as no more than one seat was free. She started to panic inside. What was she going to do? She didn't want to intrude in such an occasion. She didn't want to make a fuss out of asking for a chair in French. All she knew was _bonjour_. Could she say that and gesture at a chair or should she just skip embarrassing herself and go to the comfort room?

Speaking of which, where _is_ the ladies' room? If there was one thing she knew about dining out with other people, it was that the ladies' room is the only safe place where you could breathe in comfort. The place was packed with aristocrats. She didn't want to squeeze in between tables and excuse herself as she looked for the loo. This was starting to make her feel more uncomfortable. The only paradise in this hell was lost and she had to ask in French to get to it.

Kahoko was about to ask Len how to ask for directions in French when her ears caught an insult darted towards her. "Oh, I'm sure she took long enough. This is quite an upgrade from how she normally looks like. I say well done!" To her horror, Mai Tsugawa was across the table, falsely proud of what she looked like. Len kept a smile on his face and ignored her as he pulled the chair out for Kahoko to sit in. Eyes fell on Mai at her remark. She really did know how to start a scene anywhere. Kahoko knew she was going to have to do more than just act her part tonight. She silently prayed for courage as she stared at her plate.

The night has only just begun and already she was over it.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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_**Omgz the 7th... can you believe it?**__ I actually felt like I was in heaven when I was writing the song part XD It was just so appropriate that I couldn't even get myself to finish it without daydreaming in between._

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_Would you guys be so kind to leave a review?__** I'd **__**LOVE**__** to hear from you guys.**__ How's my writing? Is the story good so far? You hooked yet? (Lolno)_

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_**Anyway, till Chapter 8 you guys! :D Reviews please :o3**_


	8. 8: Sweeter Than Dessert

_Omigaaaaaaaad! Sorry it took so long to update, you guys! I got stuck somewhere in the middle, thinking of what to do next T.T_

_Some of you actually wanted to see romance bloom, so I put in a little something in this chapter to tease you or lure you into reading the next chapters:_

_**OKAY THEN. Here you go, you lovely people. Chapter 8!**_

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"Would you care for something less buttery like a salad, perhaps?" Misa Hamai asked Kahoko with a gentle smile. Kahoko shook her head and straightened her back nervously as if she were a child accused of a cookie theft. A guilty child, rather. The older woman's kind words meant to comfort her, Kahoko knew that. She still felt terribly embarrassed for intruding. When she agreed to take part in this dinner, she didn't know it'd be a family dinner with his betrothed's family. Moreover, Kahoko wasn't informed that Len was betrothed to Mai Tsugawa. They never really got along at school and thanks to this little soiree, the hate obviously wouldn't stop there.

Kahoko stared intently at her lobster while wishing to switch places with it at the back of her mind. She'd rather be cooked up and served hot on a gold platter rather than sit in the company of these people. For the past few minutes, she has done nothing but look around surreptitiously at the aristocrats dining in the gilded restaurant. She felt feeble and dumb, her insecurities eating her up bit by bit.

Len felt her nervousness as he chewed on another piece of crustacean meat. Kahoko wasn't touching her dinner when she's used to eating piles of food. Something must be terribly wrong. He glanced at his father, checking to see if he was glowering at her, only to find out that he'd been eating the same meal that everyone was having. Len had his elbow nudge Kahoko lightly to grab her attention. Lowering his head, he whispered to her ear. "Are you alright?" She nodded. He went back to eating.

Her gaze hasn't left the lobster and her cutlery remained untouched. Mai Tsugawa was chewing her way through the course, all very princess-like, while observing Kahoko after every bite she's taken. She scanned her from head to toe, watching her every move. She'd seen her looking at the rest of the people present in the room and she'd seen her look at them with snappy awe. With a gentle hand, Mai lifted up a glass of champagne to her lips. This was certainly going to be a night to remember.

"So, Hino-san…" Yuu Tsukimori started as he damped the napkin on his face. "What did you say you were?"

Kahoko blushed a deep red as she searched for an answer in her head. She smiled a stiff one and looked at Len, face completely covered in nervousness. Len coughed and helped her dodge this bullet. "She's a violinist," He answered. Yuu nodded, seemingly impressed. Misa's face lit up as she remembered Kahoko from the concours. "You're the other contestant who played the violin during the concours! I remember now…"

Kahoko could tell that Yuudai Tsukimori was far less than impressed. It was a trait of rich people whenever they found themselves in a situation that weren't up to their liking. They simply nodded and folded their napkins, turning their heads over to a subject that was of much interest in them like they've meant to do so in the first place. "And what does Mai-chan play?" He asked the girl seated in front of Kahoko, enthusiasm was evident in his voice.

"I play the flute," Mai answered without much of a look to acknowledge the older man. Yuudai Tsukimori seemed greatly impressed by what she said and turned his head over to look at Len. "Do you hear that, son? She plays the flute. Violins and flutes complement each other well." Len grunted under his breath as he controlled himself.

"She auditioned for the concours but didn't get in," Mr. Tsugawa interjected with a light smile of modesty in his face. "I guess Len beat her to it." Ms. Tsugawa nodded at what her husband had said and sipped her glass of Bloody Mary. Yuudai grinned as he reached for his son's wrist under the table. Obviously, Mr. Tsugawa had meant to say that Kahoko was better than Mai and that they needn't stay for the rest of the course any longer. Len has humiliated the family just by bringing this girl to the dinner and he has yet to tell him why. His grip tightened on his wrist, lying off the impression that Len was going to get that sermon sooner than he thought.

Len resisted his wrist be pulled and moved his chair a bit away from his father. Piercing enough crustacean meat, he lifted a piece up with his fork and leveled it to Kahoko's mouth. Kahoko gawked at him, unsure of what to do. She has never been in such a situation with Tsukimori before and she didn't think she'd be in one, for that matter. With the fork steadily waiting for her lips to part, Len's arm started to feel a pinching pain.

Guessing she wasn't going to catch on any second soon, he took the liberty of helping her out. "You don't want any?" He asked her with a great amount of affection in his voice that he usually lacked. Kahoko blinked twice before finally catching up with him and opened her mouth while Mai Tsugawa stared in envy from the other side.

Why did she have to deal with these two lovers anyway? As far as she was concerned, by this time today, she could've been having dinner with Yunoki-senpai if it wasn't for that Ayano person. Who did she think she was? She was way younger than Yunoki-senpai and he was obviously just fond of her. What they had wasn't love, it was fondness. If Yunoki-senpai wanted love, he would've gone with her instead of Ayano.

Kahoko chewed vigorously at the piece she was given to by Len. She could see that Misa Hamai was watching her, eyes filled with an emotion she was fond of but unfamiliar with. Her stare seemed to bother her but not to the extent that she would make such a big deal out of it. She thought she found her smile before she went back to eating but that could just be an illusion. Could it be that Misa Hamai was happy that Len had brought her along?

Kahoko mentally wadded off the thought. She couldn't possibly be happy to see her sitting there right beside her son but she was being awfully quiet. Kahoko kept her eyed glued on Misa Hamai as she absently lifted her fork and started poking the lobster's hard shell. Mai, who was watching from her seat as she took in her last piece of meat, faked a cough of disapproval. If Len honestly thought this red-headed klutz could match up to her level, then he seriously had to have his brain replaced.

Kahoko's eyes shifted towards Mai, who was giving her one of her vicious looks. She'd seen her look at her like that before at the bridge connecting the Gen-Ed building to the Music Building while Kahoko tried to defend Shouko. Kahoko stopped poking her food and settled for behaving. Nothing good ever came from hard looks like that.

As everyone continued dining, Mai started her secret plot to get rid of their scheme. "So, Len-kun," she began, placing her champagne glass on the table. "How long have you been together?"

Len casually patted the napkin on his mouth and didn't waste a moment in answering. "We've started seeing each other last year while my parents were on tour. We've officially become a couple just three weeks prior this evening." Kahoko nodded in agreement and wrapped her arms around her stomach. The chilly air inside the room was starting to sink into her and the shawl wasn't doing a very good job on protecting her from it. Len didn't seem to notice either as he was busy being… him.

"Are you cold, dear?" Misa Hamai asked from her seat, concern evident through her eyes and vocal tone. Kahoko shook her head immediately and gave her a smile in return. "I'm fine, Tsukimori-san." She released her arms, her only means of warmth, and rumpled her skirt instead. Misa Hamai kept her gaze on her as the dinner plates were being taken away to give room for dessert. Kahoko was asked by the waiter if she was done, seeing as though she really hasn't touched her food. Kahoko nodded her head nervously and the waiter smiled away, taking her dinner plate with him. Poor girl hasn't touched a meal since she came.

Her gaze then turned to her son, who was being just himself this evening, and found it weird that he's stayed that way even with his supposed girlfriend beside her. He hadn't even given her so much as a look when she'd asked Kahoko if she was cold. The only sign of affection he'd shown her tonight was when he gave her a bite from his own plate, but even that seemed to be a stiff move. She knew he'd brought her tonight to break this engagement off but she wasn't so sure about her son's true feelings towards Kahoko. Wasn't she the girl who changed his music? Wasn't she the girl who Len took to Nakata-san? Wasn't she the girl who made such an impact in his son's seemingly static life?

It would be painful for a mother to see her son live an unhappy life and she knew he'd be unhappy with an arranged marriage. He'd clearly pointed that out several times before but you couldn't blame a mother for trying her best to care for her only child's future. Misa Hamai sighed and took her phone out of her purse. She pressed a few digits and sent a message before slowly placing her phone back in, whispering a silent prayer as she hoped her little plan would work.

The man of the Tsugawa family commenced yet another conversation about music and business. Mai had happily involved herself in the conversation while Yuudai tried to have Len join in every now and then. Misa Hamai kept her eyes locked on Kahoko Hino and her son, even as the waiters started placing dessert platters in front of them. She was sure that their silence meant something more than just awkwardness and hoped that it would light up soon.

As the elder people droned on in the conversation, Mai started on her dessert. She'd come up with a decision that tonight wasn't the night for her scheme and the restaurant surely wasn't the place to misbehave. Keeping her mouth shut from nonsense for the rest of the evening, Mai planned ahead for tomorrow. She's faced Kahoko before and she knew what she was capable of doing. If it wasn't for Hihara, she would've been dead that day she played Gavotte by the school statue. This time Mai was sure she was going to get Hino, even if it took her all to take her down. Who was Hino after all, if she wasn't a commoner in the midst of the rich and famous?

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

Dinner had ended and they've departed from his parents and the Tsugawas at long last. His mother had insisted that Yuudai and she go home to have Len take Kahoko home without them. Len doubted whether her mother did that out of courtesy but now was not the time to think about that. Right now, he was standing with Kahoko at the end of the stairs as the last of the customers left. He'd call in for Tomo-san half an hour ago to pick them up but he'd reason out that he was told to run an errand while they ate. It would take him about another hour to get back. Len and Kaho had no choice but to wait until he arrived.

The lights outside the restaurant have been shut off, indicating that the place was officially closed. Kahoko raised her head up to view the night sky. As usual, the stars were there to keep her company like they always did when she slept. She yawned and sat down on a step. Her feet were feeling sore and her legs weren't feeling any better. The cold air had gotten the best of her that she shivered within two-minute intervals. She looked up at Len and stretched her arms forward. He was awfully comfortable leaning on the railing, peacefully waiting for Tomo-san to arrive. Spending time with the quiet Tsukimori was getting more and more awkward each passing second just as how it felt like earlier while they were in the car on the way here.

Kahoko shivered as the night breeze brushed against her nape. Going back to her thoughts, she thought that it'd be best to leave it like that. Len obviously loved his peace. Although, she was dreadfully curious on what went on his head as he stood in silence. Could it be that he was reliving a moment in his mind? Was he thinking of his errors during his practices, carefully thinking of ways on how to correct his notes the next time he reunites with his violin? Whatever it was that kept his mind busy, it was keeping him warm pretty well.

She shivered once again. Kahoko caressed her shoulders and pulled the shawl up, fixing it so that it would give her at least a little heat until the car came. Her knees just couldn't stay steadily.

Len was enjoying the silence when he heard ruffling noises. He opened his eyes and found Kahoko shivering and struggling to keep her shawl in place. The air got more brutal as the night got deeper, and he was sure that Kahoko was starting to feel sick. Where were his manners? He approached her and removed his coat, draping it around her frail shoulders to give her warmth. Kahoko's eyes grew big as she turned to him before he sat beside her. Concern overflowing from her voice, she took the jacket off her back and got ready to return it. "You'll get cold!"

Len shook his head and placed the jacket over her shoulders once more, firmly holding it down her shoulders until she grabbed the ends. "I could use the air. You've had too much of it already."

She felt her cheeks flush as he removed his hands from her shoulders easily. "Thank you." With a smile, Kahoko gripped the lapels of his coat and snuggled inside, nearly disappearing. Len settled on the step and stretched out a leg before looking at his date. Her eyes were set on the pavement, although he doubted she even saw it. She seemed too lost in her own thoughts. Len silently sighed and rolled his cuffs up. He remained quietly seated beside her and took advantage of the fine solitude that was engulfing them.

Kahoko's hair was now in a loose bun that allowed some of it to fall on her face. He had to fight the urge to lock it behind her ear so he could see her bright yellow eyes shine under the moonlight. Len knew he was always that person who knew exactly where his thoughts would lay but right now, his mind was as unstable as a mad horse. His heart wasn't doing any better. Being alone with Kahoko was making him think of things he'd thought of nights before.

"Have you always been this quiet?" Len snapped back to his senses and reverted his eyes from her as she asked. He pretended to be preoccupied with something else and took his own sweet time in answering. "I'm not really talkative." He admitted while he sat back at a higher step, allowing the breeze to play around his hair.

"Why not practice now? You're mostly in galas and social events. You do need to talk to be sociable." She suggested, earning her a look from the blue-headed lad beside her. "Also, if we're going to keep this scheme going for a couple more dinners, we need to talk to each other like we've been going out for three years," she added. She did have a point.

Len cocked a brow and waited for her to talk. Kahoko pulled her skirt down and propped her elbows on her shoulders, gazing up the stars as she thought of a conversation starter. She looked at Tsukimori with a soft smile on her face. "Have you ever had a girlfriend, Tsukimori-kun?"

Len groaned and looked away snobbishly. Typical Len. "If I had one, I'm sure tonight wouldn't even exist." That was true. If he did have a girlfriend, Kahoko thought, his parents wouldn't set him up with someone else. She laughed at her own silliness and tucked her feet in under her skirt. "I guess you're right."

A relevant question escaped her lips before she could mentally stop herself from asking it. She looked away from Tsukimori and held her cheek with a hand to give it warmth. "What kind of girl do you fancy then?" She trailed off, getting to it first before he did. "Would she be sophisticated?" Len looked at her as she continued guessing instead of letting him answer. The night had already gotten in too deep and his mind wasn't used to functioning this late.

He stared at her absent-mindedly as he took her in detail per detail. An arm from his jacket loosely slid down her right, revealing her well-defined shoulder. _Her pale skin shone differently under the moon as well_, he thought as he clenched his fists. That was the only way he knew he could resist from caressing her.

"I bet you like pretty women." Kahoko guessed; her eyes had once again locked with the pavement. "Correction," Len pointed out a finger, "beautiful, educated, well-mannered women. Never like a girl who could bring only her image, but a girl who can bring her dignity as well." Kahoko gave a nod, admiring his fatherly wisdom, and blinked as if mentally taking note of that.

His view of Kahoko's face under the moonlight was surely a view he hadn't seen before. Her expression was tired but her eyes told him that she was still up for a good conversation. She tapped a finger on her arm and closed her eyes to help her envision his dream girl. Finally bringing her to life in her own little mind, her lips curled up gracefully. "She's wonderful. Divine. Perfect." She opened her lids and her eyes gave a completely different meaning to her smile. She looked distressed, if not tired, just thinking about the perfect woman. "No one would ever compare."

The sad tone in her voice told Len that she was getting insecure, but whatever for? He wasn't sure of what to do, having been socially unaccustomed to emotions. The people he talked to normally didn't show much of it. What was he to do now? Pat her back and say something nice or was he supposed to just hum in agreement? Deciding that the latter would probably pass as being neutral, he settled for it. He gave a slight 'mhm' and waited for her reply.

Contrary to Len's belief, the sound he gave off caused Kahoko's heart to ache. As if his 'mhm' was an assurance of his future rejection (if ever she decided to confess). She sucked it in with the cold air and sighed heavily, exhaling the minor pain away. It wasn't like she'd expected him to tell her that she'd be close to what his ideal woman would be, anyway. Although she did expect him to give her some kind of friendly compensation; a short friendly statement that would remind her that she wasn't half bad herself.

He could've at least complemented the way she dressed up tonight just for his little dinner. Kahoko mentally kicked herself. Now she was feeling bitter. What was wrong with her anyway? She replayed her mantra and soothed herself for another long, quiet minute with it. _He didn't like her before. He didn't like her now. He wouldn't like her ever._

Len suddenly felt uncomfortable being left with nothing but the dead air between them. He tilted his head up and gave his unpolished social skills a shot. _What to ask_, he thought. He knew nothing that would interest Kahoko, except maybe violins. He really didn't know her that much, which meant that there were less than five topics to choose from. He could start a new conversation regarding violins, cake, or her ideal man.

"Vanilla or chocolate?" He asked casually. A conversation based on food was more appealing than classical instruments and it deemed less awkward compared to asking a woman about her fantasy guy.

"What?" She asked back, confusion evident with the way her tone swooped higher. Len grimaced and felt like laughing at his own stupidity. "I was asking about cakes," he said as he pushed his back off the higher step and crouched forward to meet her gaze. "Do you like vanilla or chocolate?" He rephrased.

Kahoko lifted a finger up her chin and pondered hard. "Well I guess I'd have to go with vanilla." Deciding that she's made the right decision, she looked back at him as she laid her head on her arms. "You?"

Len shook his head and looked away. Her eyes were luring him in. "I'm not much of a sweet tooth." It took him a couple more seconds to recollect himself and look back at her again. "But I like fruits. I like mangoes," he said, his answer earning him a soft smile from the red-headed maiden. They were finally getting somewhere, she thought. It made her happy knowing that they could at least talk about something else other than music or things that could possibly make her heart ache.

"I know how to make refrigerator cake with ripe mangoes," she replied, as if offering to make one for him. Len shook his head again and smiled. Kahoko felt her heart stop. "I told you I'm not into sweet things."

Kahoko couldn't seem to erase the joy she felt holding the ends of her lips up. "I swear you'd turn into one once you taste my refrigerator cake," she showcased herself shamelessly. Len felt his stomach vibrate and let out a nervous laugh. It came out discomfited and choppy, but it was definitely a laugh. "Sure, if you say so," he replied, chuckling nervously at the weird sensation he felt in his abdomen. He felt light and ticklish, as if butterfly wings brushed softly against his skin.

Kahoko crossed her legs, now feeling comfortable beside the once cold man that she was with. She'd laughed along with him, mainly because she found his disbelief challenging. As her giggles flowed beautifully from his ear to his unguarded mind, Len stopped his own. He relished the few seconds she'd laughed alone and remembered every note her voice had hit with her lady-like chuckles. He smiled and watched her tilt her head and raise a hand over her mouth, trying to stop anymore 'ha-has' escape.

He wasn't used to being this loose around anyone. He refused to let his guard down. He was cold and rude, but this was only because he didn't want people to see how soft and vulnerable he was inside. Watching Kahoko laugh with him caused his walls to sink in a few inches lower that it made him rethink about his defensive nature. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he let one in for once. What harm could a carefree, happy woman like Kahoko do to hurt him anyway?

When Kahoko's laugh died down softly, he smiled at her just before the car reached them. They hadn't talked about much yet but it felt like he knew what he wanted to know. As golden orbs met his own, he let the words slip out of his mouth. "I think I'd like to give it a try."

To Kahoko it sounded like she had convinced him to try out her culinary skills but to Len, it surely meant something else.

**-o.o- Chapter End -o.o-**

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_**So? SOOOOO? Did you like what I did there? : I did. I liked it a lot. I made myself giggle in delight quite a few times while typing it.**_

_But of course, what good is my own opinion? Criticize me if you will. Here comes the part where I beg for reviews..._

_**REVIEWS PLEASE, MINNA-SAN! None of that would've happened if you hadn't suggested or supported this fiction so please be kind enough to give me feedback :3**_

_(A/N: I've been recently informed that the girl who I thought was Mai Tsugawa actually bore the name Towako Konoe. I apologize for confusing one for the other. So from now on, please think of Towako Konoe whenever you come across Mai Tsugawa in this story T.T)_


	9. Walled Back Up

Sorry it took so long to write, you guyssss T.T I literally had to be somewhere else for the past month. I was in charge of something I had to commit to so I couldn't dedicate into writing O.o I'm so sorry T.T

**_Anyways, I'm back with Chapter 9!_** I hope you guys read and leave reviews for me just so I'd know what you folks think :D

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"And your way of proving yourself to us is by bringing _some girl_ to a dinner we've planned with your betrothed?" Len frowned at Yuudai's strong tone. If it wasn't so late at night, he bet his father would've probably shouted at him while a vase came his way. He kept his eyes closed as Yuudai paced behind his desk, furious.

Misa Hamai sat beside her son, calmly drinking her midnight tea and hoped that it would put her to sleep. After seeing her son enter the house sharing a cheerful chat with Tomo-san, she couldn't help but think that her little scheme worked. Nothing else excited her than knowing that Len wasn't completely cold and heartless. The effects of knowing how _some girl_ made his son happy were stronger than caffeine.

"The primary objective of this arrangement is to financially secure your future!" Yuudai repeated himself for the nth time, hoping that it would sink in his son's impermeable mind after tonight. He glanced at Len, seeing him smirk at his mother, as if the two of them both thought of him as a joke. By the looks of it, Len wasn't going to let his sermons get to him any sooner. This only made him madder than he was the past hour.

Deciding that he wasn't going to get through his son, Yuudai marched out of the room, throwing his hands up in defeat. After he'd slammed the door, both mother and son remained silent until his footsteps were unheard. Misa placed her teacup on her plate before laying it down the antique mahogany coffee table. A calm smile graced her face as she looked over her son.

Len sighed and leaned over the couch's arm, feeling the serenity that was now creeping under the windows as the breeze blew the night time air in. With his head propped up on his hand and his eyes closed, she could tell Yuudai had stressed his mind out too much with this whole engagement gig.

"I, for one, think that Kahoko is a wonderful girl," Misa said while fixing the books her husband had unconsciously knocked off the desk with anger. She thought she heard Len puff a dismissive gust of air from his nose, indicating that he's already gotten over Yuudai's lamentations. As she turned around to place the books on one of the end tables, she noticed that her son had managed to smile peacefully. Misa could tell that Len was thinking about whatever happened tonight after they'd left. In fact, she bet he'd been too preoccupied about it that he barely heard what his father had said.

Placing the books down, Misa sat close to her son and held his hand, giving it a tight squeeze before resting her head on his shoulder. Len momentarily left his fantasies to look at his mother. Her eyes focused on the twinkling gems that floated up in the sky, gracing all of earth under their soft light. For a long time, Len hasn't felt his mother's warmth; neither did he find her to next to him this close. All this was new to him, but just like his conversation with Kahoko, it didn't feel that bad to accommodate it. He squeezed her hand back as tightly as she held his.

"We just want the best for you," Misa said with heartfelt sadness. Len knew his mother had always worried about his happiness even though she was backing his father up with this engagement. She looked up at him and caressed his cheek, holding it as if Len was still only ten.

"I thought you'd never find the one for you but I guess she's here now. She came early too," Misa hesitated to continue, as if feeling that she was going to lose her only son sooner than she thought. "And if she makes you feel content, I will support your relationship. Nothing else would mean more to me than seeing you spend your life happily with the one you truly love," she said with a comforting tone before standing up, letting go of his hand just as how she did whenever she left him to go on tour during his youth; slowly.

Len felt his mother's hand tap his shoulder on her way out, bidding him a silent goodnight. He didn't know what else to say. It was clear that she bought his scheme, but he didn't expect her to fall deep enough to support it. His relationship with Kahoko was pure fiction and his mother sounded too pleased that if she were to find out about the truth, she'd be crushed into pieces. If she found out that they weren't really in love, her poor little heart would break along with the trust she had in him. That would lead to her on to support his father's decision, making it all the more hard for him to walk free.

Just then, he felt his phone vibrate inside his pocket. _Kahoko,_ he assumed as he pulled the phone out to check. True enough, it was her. Not being able to contain the overwhelming feeling rummaging against his rib, he quickly flipped his phone open and held it close to his face.

_**We still haven't decided on a date yet. How does Friday sound?**_

_That's right,_ he remembered. During the ride home, they talked about when was the best time for him to come over and taste her homemade refrigerator cake. When they started comparing schedules, other topics started coming up and they forgot what they were supposed to be talking about at the first place.

Len typed in his reply quickly before he could even rethink her offer and hit 'send' before rising up his seat. He meant to practice when he got home but his father ate all his hours up with his sermon. There was only five hours left before he had to get ready for school. He stretched his arms and yawned. He could play tomorrow in one of the practice rooms provided for them.

He needn't worry about anything else. The night turned out better than expected. Len sighed and switched the lights off before exiting the room, not bothering to turn and give it one last look. And about his troubles earlier… he decided it'd be best to leave all impending crises to the future.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

_Click._

Kahoko felt her eyelids involuntarily drop as soon as her body made contact with the sheets. She checked the clock beside her bed and sighed. 3AM. She grabbed her pillow and placed it in between her legs as she got ready to doze off. It took her about four hours to get out of that conference call. She meant to say goodbye during the first hour, telling herself that she'd hang up right after Mio spoke but Nami whisked away with another fantasy. Kahoko clicked her clock to alarm mode and set her head on the pillow she'd been holding ever since hour two of the "TsukiHino Fan Club" conference call.

She planned to tell them all about this tomorrow but as soon as she got home, she found her sister with the phone on her hand. Apparently, Manami, Nami, Mio, and Nao had been calling since 9PM, in conference. They all couldn't wait for tomorrow and wanted to know what happened that night, half-hoping that Tsukimori had kissed her under the blue moon. Imagine their dismay when she told them nothing significant happened between her and Tsukimori.

Her arm moved its way to reach for her phone. She forced her eyes open and navigated to the inbox, clicking a message open. A smile crept over her lips; heart beating wildly against her chest as she read the message for the nth time tonight. No matter how many times she reread it, she still felt the same thrill tingle her spine.

_**Friday. It's a date.**_

_It's a date_, she whispered to herself as she rolled to the other side of the bed. Even though she knew she was supposed to scare the butterflies in her tummy away with her silly mantra, her heart went ahead and told her that it was okay; beating wilder than a panicked croc.

She spotted his black coat hanging by the edge of her bed. Over the conversation they had about concerts and snobbish people, Len had forgotten to take it back from her as she alighted from the car. She quickly took it in her arms and locked it in for good. The smell of his shampoo was still lingering at the collar, making it harder for her to think that she'd have to return it tomorrow. Sure, she acted like she was obsessed but this was the closest she could get to holding him.

Then she remembered his voice. She didn't expect it to be as good as his violin skills. Most people would think that all Len had were his talent and good looks. Who would've guessed that there was more? Kahoko closed her eyes and held the coat tighter, wishing he was actually there to serenade her to sleep. She kept the image of him sitting by her window, smiling as he sung the same song from earlier, putting her to sleep.

_It's a date,_ she whispered once more to herself before letting the view of him guarding her in her slumber take her to dream land.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

The next day, Len found himself standing in front of the whole class, temples aching with anger. He'd been elected as the project head for the festival during the class election, which happened during the time he'd skipped class to go dress-hunting with Yunoki-sama and Kahoko. Someone seriously needed to update him with whatever happened that day he was gone. He was starting to regret every single minute he'd missed out that day.

According to Manami, his appointed assistant, the decision was made upon a unanimous vote. The festival was going to take place on February (universally known as the love month) and the students of the senior batch all witnessed how Tsukimori had helped his friends find their way into each other's hearts. They all agreed that his friends' grand displays of affection (noting Shimizu's confession at the school plaza) were signs of his readiness and appropriateness in assuming the head position for the festival. How their analogy worked made Len wonder if these students were actually dumber than they look.

He sighed, deciding that there was nothing he could do about it. He scanned the paper in front of him and mentally took note of the details. The theme of the festival was patterned after Franz Liszt's _Liebestraum_, German for "Love Dream". And predictably enough, most of the events circled around love itself and dreaming for a love that was soon to be found. The colors selected for the decorations were centered on ivory, white, red, and carnation pink.

Len's face crinkled in resentment. "Are we going to host a festival in honor of the great masters in classical music or are we going to throw a grand love-a-palooza?" He inquired Mori with sarcastic interest.

Waving a hand dismissively, Manami concentrated on the festival assignments and rearranged the papers before filing them neatly on the table. "Most of the great composers dreamed about love fondly and took out their inspirations from their lovers," Mori reasoned out as she unwrapped her choco-filled snack, making way for her question, "what happened last night?"

Len glanced at her and resumed reading. She may be eating but the glint in her cyan eyes told him that she already knew everything and she just had to hear it from him. It was a glint that he was too familiar with. A glint that he saw in Yunoki-senpai and Tsuchiura's eyes. God knows how people around Seiso wanted to catch him off guard with that same glint shining from their eyes.

Len took a second glance at the blonde and found her staring. The crackling of the biscuit inside her mouth was getting a bit too loud for him to bear. He glanced at the snack box. _Koala March_. "You're not going to get it, Mori. I suggest you drop it," he coldly said before he resumed reading.

Manami frowned and turned around. "Whatever. I just wanted to hear it from you. Kahoko told us all about it anyway," she said, hoping that she would be able to convince just a teeny bit about last night from him. Kahoko had told them all about dinner but she stopped there. Mori was sure that there was more to it than just the dinner; she could tell it in her tone when she told them that nothing important had happened. Kahoko was covering something up and Manami wasn't one who fell for cover-ups.

_Us? Who else on this green earth could she have told last night about?_ Len thought as he took the papers and started giving away the assignments half-heartedly as the students excitedly accepted their obligations. "Sponsorships will be taken care of by Takashi, Gojo, and Karasuma," the said students agreed before he continued, "designs and booth designations will be under Kuroda and Hattori's care, assisted by the general department's Asami Tomioka and Kiseki Endo."

_Knock, knock._

Timid knocks were heard from the door as Len continued to give the assignments. Mori went to see who knocked, allowing Tsukimori to go on with his obligation. A red-headed female quickly bowed as the door was slid open. She assumed that music students were generally snobbish and demanded respect from "normal" people like her, so she went ahead and bowed before she could even see who slid the door open. Manami gave a light chuckle and took the girl by the hand, surprising her as she pulled her in.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Mori said as she waved her hand to catch the man's attention as the other woman tried in vain to stop her. He was obviously busy and didn't have the time to attend to her. She just passed by quickly to give him his coat back from last night. Now she wished she'd waited.

Instead of catching Tsukimori's attention alone, Manami had managed to catch the attention of the whole class. All eyes now dawned upon her and the red-headed female standing stiffly on her side. Kahoko fidgeted, sensing the thoughts darted towards her. What was a gen-ed student doing in their classroom at this time when she clearly had no official business to take care of? All she had with her was a paper bag and her messy hair. She regretted even coming to have only a paper bag and an apology with her.

"What are you doing here?" Len glowered at her, placing the piece of paper on the desk behind him. The words in her head scrambled as she tried to connect them into sentences, hoping for the best one to come up any second soon. Damn it all, she was lost again. The best she could do was fluster as he approached her, eyes now on the paper bag she had on her hands. "Is that my coat?" he asked with the seriousness that never failed to grace his words.

Talk now started to go around the room, a few loud whispers here and there made both parties twitch.

"Isn't she that violinist from the gen-ed department? What was her name again?"

"Kahoko Hino."

"I had dinner together with my uncle's firm last night and I saw them together with Mai Tsugawa!"

"What? Are they dating?"

"They do make quite the pair."

"Have you heard about the violin romance?"

"I knew Tsukimori-kun was a romantic. I just knew it."

Mori watched the two go from pale to red as the gossip started to build up. Neither said a word but she knew they both had nothing to defend themselves with. She lent a hand and reached for the paper bag, lifting it up to Tsukimori's face to end the awkward situation they were in.

"C-Coat… I brought back… it… Brought it back…" Kahoko stammered as Len took the bag from Manami and turned around. It was hard to make up your sentences while the people around talked about you and the guy you were talking to. Kahoko kept her gaze locked on the floor, not knowing how to excuse herself after being shunned like that, and fumbled with her fingers.

"You ought to stay and watch Tsukimori-kun finish the rest of the assignments. Ryoutaro's going to pick me up any time soon," Mori whispered as Len stood once more in his position at the platform, scanning over the duties. She smiled gently at Kahoko, eyes locked on Tsukimori as she pretended to pay attention. "You could leave with us if you're too shy to step out now." She winked, making Kahoko feel like she really had no choice.

* * *

**[-o-o-o-o-o-o-]**

"So…" Len momentarily took his eyes off his phone and looked at Kahoko, who was walking a few steps ahead of him. She seemed to be nervous of something. "Do you have any plans?" she asked, twirling around to face him. The setting sun melted with her red hair; a gold line now shining off her crown as she tried not to walk stiffly.

Today, he was walking home with Kahoko for reasons he cannot even begin to explain. First off, Manami insisted that he take Kahoko home to make it a bit more convincing that they were dating. Len didn't see why they had to show to everyone else that they were affiliated with each other when they clearly shouldn't care. But before Len could even debate on the matter, Mai had sent him a text message asking him to wait for her. He'd almost forgotten about what he said during the dinner last night.

It was convenient for him that Mai had been looking at Yunoki-senpai for the past three years that she didn't bother to notice what he'd been up to. This time around though, her attention is centered on Len. He had easily said at the dinner that Kahoko and he had been dating for three years, and now that Mai knew that, he was certain that she'd pay closer attention to how they'd act as a couple. If she catches him without Kahoko, she'd definitely doubt the truth in his statement.

Len arched a brow before closing his phone and sliding it into his pocket. "What kind of plans?" he asked, feeling uneasy. He still wasn't used to walking home alone with a girl… or with anyone, for that matter. But he knew he had to get used to it if he wanted to get out of the engagement.

"Like a dinner or a family matter you have to attend to," Kahoko elaborated as she twirled back around to face the road.

Len shook his head and tried to look at the sun. "I don't have any plans," he answered, taking a little interest on whatever she had in mind. Kahoko gleamed and looked at him, clapping her hands together. "You can accompany me then!"

"Accompany you where?" he asked as she walked slower to walk side by side with him.

"The grocery; to shop for ingredients for the refrigerator cake I was talking about last night," she said, biting her lower lip. She tried not to sound too excited; he could tell. "Why do I have to come with you?" Len asked, losing the interest he had in a split second. Even though he had nothing important planned for that evening, he certainly wouldn't be caught dead shopping at the local grocery. His mission was to take her home, not to take her around town for a tour. Imagine the gossip that would come out of that.

"It's the least you could do to thank me in making it for you," she said as she trudged along the next corner, a light breeze carrying her red hair back. Len lifted his wrist up to check the time and hurriedly walked behind her. "I _am_ supposed to be your girlfriend. It shouldn't bother you."

It was already too late to back out anyway. They were only five establishments away from the grocery and it surely wouldn't take them more than five minutes to get what they need. As far as from what he's heard, groceries are usually big and are filled with high stacks. If students from school did happen to pass by the grocery as well, the odds of them meeting inside a big area would definitely be low. He might as well go along with it. The quicker, the better.

Silence prevailed for a good half minute and Len found himself in the comfort of the ambience. This part of town was quiet during the afternoon and the view was astounding. While one side of the strip had shops built on the foundation, the other side showed the scenery that was hid from most of the city. The sun reflecting off the surface of the lake was as blinding as the actual thing itself. The water glimmered against the orange sky as the birds flew towards the east.

He stared into the horizon absentmindedly, mentally taking note of how the colors blended by the supposed end. Kahoko had been looking at him without him knowing. The way that his eyes grew bigger than the usual changed the way she had been looking at him since they met. Len Tsukimori's eyes, in her opinion, were either narrow or closed. The reason why his stares are always counted as sharp was because no one ever really saw the whole thing. His lids always closed halfway and they sort of shadowed the gleam in his eyes that she could see so much of now.

She wasn't sure if it was just the sun reflecting off his orbs but they were twinkling. It wasn't that often that she saw him looking at something with amusement. She breathed it all in before he noticed. "What are you looking at?" His eyes narrowed back down as he looked at her with one brow cocked. Kahoko composed herself quickly and grinned before looking ahead. A quick shot of embarrassment ran through her.

Suddenly remembering what happened earlier, Len fixed his eyes towards the railings. The way that the metal shone under the setting sun mesmerized him. He waited for the awkwardness between them to fade before her hit her up.

"What did you tell Manami about last night?" he asked out of the blue, his brow cocking up, "and who else did you tell that to?" Kahoko fidgeted and tried to smile at him but he clearly wasn't going to give it up at any second. He seemed mad at whatever news reached him today and was convinced that she was the root of all of it. She winced and quickly searched for the grocery. All she said last night was that they went to dinner and that he tried to feed her seafood from his own spoon. What was to be mad at?

Quickly diverting Len's attention by pointing her finger towards the west, she directed his eyes towards the grocery store across the street. It was awfully smaller than how Len imagined it to be. Which means the odds of Seiso students seeing them together would definitely be higher now. Len shrugged his worries off and followed Kahoko as she walked happily inside the grocery.

Len took a moment by the automatic doors and scanned his surroundings. He'd been wrong so far. The grocery that he had imagined in his mind was way bigger than this one. This particular grocery had five short aisles and freezers backed up at the end. There was only one counter near the magazine rack and he saw everyone move in the shop clearly from where he stood. Len walked quickly to Kahoko. If he didn't want to be seen, he better make sure that they finish their business quickly.

As Len looked around the store, Kahoko was carefully selecting her mangoes from the bin. She sniffed and picked out the sweetest batch she could possibly grab and held up a mango towards Len's nose. The blue-haired man was startled; his attention from the farthest aisle was drawn back to the familiar scent entrancing his nose.

"Their smell often indicates their taste," Kahoko lectured, leaving the mango to Len's care as she rummaged through the pile and selected a few more. Len's brow arched, being unaccustomed to selecting his own food, and held the mango up his nose. The sweet smell of the mango must've meant that the fruit tasted just as sweet. He could already taste it in his tongue. Kahoko walked further down the aisle with Len following behind him, still enjoying the mango in his hand.

He was like a kid following his mother. Everything Kahoko touched, he grabbed right after and smelled them for himself. The sweet scent of mangoes, the zest of sample oranges, the sour grapefruits… He started grabbing fruits off the bins and hoarded them in his arm. He let Kahoko do her shopping and stayed beside the fruit section, selecting his choices from the assorted batch of produce. From behind the shelves, Kahoko kept checking on him just to make sure that he was alright.

The way that his nose scrunched up every time he picked a bad fruit made her feel giddy inside. She could tell that this was his first time inside a grocery. He seemed attracted to the smell of lemons and he kept on coming back for more mangoes. Every time he planned to turn around and look for her, he'd always hesitate and go back to the produce. Kahoko bit her lip. He was adorable.

_I better not_, she said, stopping herself quickly before she stayed for too long. She went back up the other aisles and started shopping for crackers and cream, trying to ignore the fact that Len was innocently arguing with himself at the fresh produce section on which was sweeter between the mangoes and the oranges.

Before she could even forget the image of his scrunching up his nose, Len appeared beside her with a lot of fruits and placed them in the basket that she was holding. "I'll pay for these," he said, taking the basket off her arm and carrying it for her. She stared at the amount of fruits he placed inside the basket. She was beginning to think that he was being starved to death in that big old house. "I can pay for those," Kahoko blinked, eyes meeting with Len's own.

Ever since last night, Kahoko couldn't seem to view Len as that icy music department student she's been so used to seeing for the past two years. Maybe it was the dessert talk or the nighttime breeze but something tells her that Len's become a tad bit loose. Kahoko watched him go down the aisle and grab a couple bags of assorted nuts before turning around to look at her. His brows arched, as if indicating that he was waiting for her for too long already. She ran closely behind as he turned around to view the shelves on the other side when they both heard a familiar sound from behind – a sound that meant nothing else but trouble.

*Click, click, click*

Len rolled his eyes and faced the mocha-haired girl standing behind them with her camera rendering them blind. "Do you have any good reason for barging into two innocent schoolmates shopping for ingredients?" He asked while darting her digital camera with his sharp look. Seeing that camera of hers never meant anything good for anyone. Hearing it click and seeing it now was definitely not good for him either. This time tomorrow, he could easily be turned into the next hot gossip around Seiso. (As if he hadn't been the center of gossips for the past years.)

Nami placed a hand on her hip and repositioned her camera. She might not be looking at the lens but Len knew that she's been taking pictures long enough to know which angle shot the best pictures without even look through it. "Who wouldn't want to know all about the ever-so popular violin romance?" she said, blinding both students in front of her with a camera. As Len threw a death glare at the skilled journalist, Kahoko spied two familiar green heads tottering beside two blondes and a reserved flutist resting against a fridge. She tugged Len's coat and pointed westward once she got his attention.

Len sighed. Apparently, there was more to get mad at other than the journalist. "I thought you knew better, Azuma-san…" he approached the purple-haired gentleman chuckling by the frozen treats. Azuma kicked himself joyfully off the fridge and bent down to pat Kahoko's head. "I surely wouldn't want to miss out on last night's sequel," he said, sauntering off to a shelf filled with jalapeno jelly nearby, "but it seems to me that things went pretty well that we'd have to find you shopping together at the local grocery." Azuma scanned the labels at the back of the jar, ignoring the darted look that Len just threw at him.

"Len Tsukimori shopping at the local grocery, eh? That's new! I better write that down," Nami said as she pulled her notepad out and made quick notes with her white pencil. "The violinists were just shopping around at the local grocery store…" she started as she wrote, Kahoko freezing as she calculated the outcome of tomorrow's news, "getting ready for their little picnic this weekend at an unknown location." At that, Len spun around and grabbed her notebook harshly. "Don't write crap just to feed your readers. It's a shame that you're calling yourself a journalist," he remarked, completely ignoring the damage his words might do… which everyone knew wasn't much as Nami was as proud as he was.

"Neeeeeh, you're going to a picnic without us?" Manami asked as she went out of hiding, her hands on her hips with utter disappointment. Kahoko tried to say no but the best she could do was stutter and wave her hands. Nami walked over to Manami and tapped her cheek with a finger. "It's a shame how lovers just leave their friends out in their plans…" she said with the same disappointment her friend had in her tone.

At this point, Kazuki and Ryou stood up straight with the latter dragging a groggy blonde out of the shelves. "A picnic's no fun without friends, Tsukimori! How could you leave us out like that?! You could've at least asked!" Hihara overreacted as always. He was near to tears just thinking about all the food and fun activities that he was going to miss out on just because Len didn't invite them in. Ryou could only stare pathetically at his senpai and shook his head.

"A picnic… would be fun…" Keiichi said over his drowsiness. Len mentally slapped himself and stared at their friends. They obviously planned this out; from Ryou suggesting that he walk Kahoko home to involving themselves in whatever they had planned out next. He turned around and headed for the cashier, completely ignoring their presence. It was becoming too much of a nuisance having them around all the time whenever he was with Kahoko. Not that he wanted her alone. They just made things more complicated between them.

He placed the basket on the counter for the cashier to bag out while Kahoko bowed and apologized in his behalf. He could see her bowing relentlessly at everyone, trying to clear out the misunderstanding that Nami created. "I'm sorry that you had to see us together here," he heard her start, "but I assure you it wasn't because we were planning something like that." Len nodded to himself and pulled out his wallet. He was lucky that Kahoko was there to clear things up for him. If he had to do it himself, he was sure that it was all going to end in a bickering fight with Tsuchiura. Doesn't it always end up like that?

"We get that he was just accompanying you, Hino-san," Azuma graciously replied with, as Len assumed, pity at the redheaded girl, "but why so many fruits?" He asked as he watched the cashier in front of Len bag a number of mangoes. "Oh that!" Len heard Kahoko change her mood from apologetic to enthusiastic. He could already feel his luck change as Kahoko replied back. "We were originally shopping for mangoes but Tsukimori-kun began throwing in some other fruits. We're going to make mango cake this Friday, you see…" There it was; the story that Nami was looking for and the answer to Azuma's sequel follow-up. "I told him last night that I'd make some for him to try."

"Mango cake, huh…" Ryou cleared his throat before crossing his arms. Len could feel everyone look at him with sticky eyes. He felt uneasy that he felt that he should just melt away at that specific moment to avoid further conversation. Len could feel it coming up. He just needed someone to start it.

"I like mangoes…" Keiichi brought up, oblivious to the commotion stirring up around him. Len groaned. The cashier was bagging the products up like they were as fragile as glass. He grabbed the oranges and placed them in another bag quicker than the cashier. At this point, he'd do anything just as quickly if it meant that he could get away from the group sooner.

"I like mangoes too, Keiichi!" Kazuki backed his kouhai up, placing a shoulder over Shimizu. Len hoarded the crackers up and threw them inside the bag with the mangoes, not caring if he'd crush them too hard. He could feel the upcoming invitation that he dreaded the most. The last thing he wanted to do on a Friday was spend it with his friends teasing him nonstop. He silently prayed to Kami-sama that Kahoko would keep her mouth shut until the cashier was through with the transaction.

And then Manami gasped. "I know!" _Oh Kami-sama_, Len thought as he banged his fists on the counter in defeat. The blonde clasped her arm around Ryou and held her fist up high. "We could all come and help you make it!" Len felt a migraine coming.

"I-I don't think that's a good idea," Kahoko protested but remained unheard over the buzz. Their friends were already planning out arrangements for Friday. She sighed and looked at Len as he lifted the bags up casually. That day was supposed to be _their_ day. It was supposed to be their first real date as far as Kahoko was concerned. Now they had to share it with their friends. Who knows when the next real opportunity would come?

Out of all the excitement, Kazuki emerged out of all reason and asked, "Would it be okay if we joined in on you two, though?" The rest of the group looked at Kahoko before Len answered flatly. "Of course not. Why would it matter?" With that, the talk about how to get to Kahoko's place on Friday resumed. Kahoko blinked as Len walked out of the store and stood as he waited for the rest of them to walk out. _So it wasn't like a date after all,_ she thought. She regretted feeling bad over mentioning their little "date" to the group only to find out that he didn't care much.

Her old mantra seeped back in her head once more, echoing off the walls of her hollow heart. The group walked out as jolly as ever, marching off down the path with them. Kahoko had her eyes focused on the blue-haired man walking ahead with the grocery and ran ahead to help him. "Do you need help?" She asked him as she reached for the plastic bag on his lazy hand. He quickly refused and moved slightly away, a straight expression plastered on his face as he focused on the road ahead. "I can manage on my own."

She could only stare at him slightly hurt from the rejection. "Oh, I just thought-"

"I can manage," he repeated himself as he cut her off. Kahoko recovered quickly as she clasped her hands together, forcing up a smile for him to see before she walked back to give him his space. She knew when she wasn't needed. "Okay then," she said as she watched him walk from behind, confused on what had just happened to the boy who had kindly taken the basket off her arm minutes ago.

* * *

**_I really love it when you guys review my work_** because I learn more that way. **_I also appreciate your comments on how the story is coming along_** so please do continue. Like what I've said before: what my readers say fuels me up :")

_**Don't forget to review before closing the window, you guys!**_ **It's an easy process, even readers who aren't logged in could do it!** Just type in your comment below and hit "Post"/"Post Review"! So please, for the love of pie and mango cakes, do it T.T

Hercolanium: I'm going to post the recipe on the next chapter. It's quite easy. You can Google ahead if you like :))

**_Review please, loves :x_**


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